Wear Purple for Spirit Day

Today is Spirit Day, the annual day in October when America sports purple in an effort to put an end to homophobic bullying, and support the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community.

 

Inspired by 18-year-old Tyler Clementi, who committed suicide in September of 2010, Canadian teen Brittany McMillan started Spirit Day in an attempt to get the world to take a stand against LGBT bullying. Promoted by The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), and countless Hollywood celebrities, Spirit Day gained the support of over 1.6 million Facebook users globally, and that number keeps growing.

But the fight against LGBT bullying is far from over. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, suicide is the second leading cause of death in teens. And LGBT kids are four times more likely to commit suicide than their straight peers, reported the Trevor Project, an organization focused on suicide prevention for LBGT youth. What's worse: a child whose family rejects them is nine times more likely to commit suicide.

Take a stand against LGBT bullying today by wearing purple, using GLAAD's #SpiritDay tool to turn your profile pictures purple, and sharing your photos using #spiritday. You can also download the Go Purple for #SpiritDay app for iPhone and Android. The app provides a tool for turning photos purple, as well as anti-bullying resources.