Great article. I had the same thought you did: McCormack is missing the point and purpose of the videos.

Yet he describes them in a way that I feel is probably accurate:

It's obvious that the It Gets Better videos are treating a symptom, not the disease. Like the suicide hotlines they sometimes recommend, the videos are an emergency measure; and like those hotlines, their use should be an indicator that there's an emergency.

Yes, the videos are an emergency measure. But you don't see people stopping doctors who are giving CPR because they should make sure people get enough exercise and a proper diet instead.
It's perfectly acceptable to deal with emergencies first and treat the symptoms while you work at treating the causes. And if you only work on the "big things" and completely neglect the personal factor, how many more people are going to die in the meantime? Is it really an acceptable loss to you?

We're not talking about helping kids not kill themselves and then do nothing else. McCormack falls into a common trap of "why do you do this, and not that, which is more important (in my opinion)?" They're not incompatible or mutually exclusive. You can do a variety of things, and people who aren't doing anything at all aren't in a good position to complain about people who "aren't doing enough". (I'm not talking specifically about McCormack here. I don't know the guy. He might be doing plenty. However, I have noticed that many people who complain that others are "doing the wrong thing" or "not doing enough" tend to do nothing at all themselves. That's who I'm talking about).

When discrimination results from ignorance and fear of the unknown, as it often does, exposure helps a lot. It's easier to be against "the gays" if they're not actual people. But when you're face to face with them, and you realise they're people you actually like, you actually know, that they're "normal", then you can question what you were taught and open your mind. It's good not to stay hidden, it's not insignificant, and it's not about shoving it in anyone's face anymore than straight people do all the time. I believe that people who are coming out are helping a lot, first because it's good to show everyone that you have nothing to hide or be ashamed of (because if you believe you do, what reason do they have to believe differently?) and secondly because it makes it real and human.
Of course, it's still hard, I'm sure. Even when you work for Pixar and have relatively less to worry about, it takes guts. I think that should be appreciated, it's not easy to put yourself out there for the world to see.