Put On Your Purple: Today Is Spirit Day

Thursday, October 15, 2015, marks the annual "wearing of the purple" when millions of Americans and citizens throughout the world observe Spirit Day in a stand against bullying and in support of the international LGBT community. The yearly event is an effort to cultivate allies and close the gap between growing legal protections and lived LGBT acceptance.

"For countless young people, it is not enough to simply say it gets better; we must take action too," said President Barack Obama in his 2015 Pride Month celebration.

Spirit Day was founded in 2010 by high school student Brittany McMillan in response to the alarming number of young LGBT lives lost to suicide --notably, the loss of Tyler Clementi. She wanted to create a day of awareness, acceptance, and love to prevent such tragedies. With the help of GLAAD, millions of teachers, workplaces and media personalities, students wore purple, which symbolizes spirit on the rainbow flag, to stand in solidarity with LGBT youth.

"I want LGBTQ youth all over this country to know that they are beautiful, to know that they are divinely made, and that their lives matter," said trans actress and activist Laverne Cox when she lit up New York's Empire State Building purple on Spirit Day in 2014.

Spirit Day is an international movement of solidarity. Every year since 2010, on the third Thursday of October, millions go purple to stand up against bullying and to accelerate acceptance for LGBT kids, teens, and young adults.

For a 2015 Resource Guide that explains how you can get involved in Spirit Day 2015, visit GLAAD's website.