GLAAD is headquartered in New York City, and we are so proud that the city around us went purple for LGBTQ youth on Spirit Day. This year, the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, the NYC Department of Education, and the New York City Council joined as sponsors of Spirit Day. New York City has a storied LGBTQ history that perfectly positions it as the geographic heart and soul of this, the world’s largest LGBTQ anti-bullying campaign. Thanks to you, we’re creating a brighter future for LGBTQ youth — today, and every day!
Empire State Building was lit purple. RuPaul Drag Race winner Symone joined GLAAD’s President Sarah Kate Ellis for the lighting ceremony.
Sally Hansen’s Kevin Shapiro joined in to flip the switch.
I got to light up the @EmpireStateBldg for #SpiritDay y’all! What an honor to be able to stand with my LGBTQ+ youth in this way! Love y’all! pic.twitter.com/fBL3Mgmuyl
— Symone (@the_symonee) October 21, 2021
Adding a pop of purple to the skyline with @SallyHansen & @GLAAD for Spirit Day.
: zura(.)nyc/IG #ESBright pic.twitter.com/6j9azNuQzJ
— the Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) October 21, 2021
Several Times Square buildings went purple, giving visitors and locals a message of solidarity with LGBTQ youth.
NASDAQ MarketSite
On this @GLAAD #SpiritDay, @Nasdaq ‘goes purple’ alongside GLAAD to bring awareness to the bullying of LGBTQ+ youth.
Take the pledge against bullying here: https://t.co/S1NUdxe5dV pic.twitter.com/QhL4Bb2qvS
— Nasdaq (@Nasdaq) October 21, 2021
American Eagle store
1515 Broadway and ViacomCBS
New York State Attorney General Letitia James also went purple
New York will always support LGBTQ+ youth and stand against bullying and intolerance.
I will always fight to protect your right to proudly be who you are. #SpiritDay
— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) October 21, 2021
As did the New York State Department of Education
It’s Spirit Day! Today and every day, we support LGBTQ+ youth and stand against bullying. #GoPurple to show your support! https://t.co/TRTs4L7Kw2 #SpiritDay #BullyingPreventionMonth @GLAAD pic.twitter.com/0LBEGXpDie
— NYS Education Department (@NYSEDNews) October 21, 2021
Several NYC nonprofits also went purple.
Lambda Legal
Today is #SpiritDay and we’re going purple with our friends at @glaad to show support for LGBTQ youth.
Take the pledge to stand against bullying https://t.co/ez3Ji5FxRc pic.twitter.com/K0PI40GbrY
— Lambda Legal (@LambdaLegal) October 21, 2021
The Point Foundation
LGBTQ youth disproportionately face bullying and harassment because of their identities. This #SpiritDay, we’re joining @glaad and taking a stand against bullying. Learn more at https://t.co/QL2GSMf4if pic.twitter.com/QneyJ5B4wH
— Point Foundation (@PointFoundation) October 21, 2021
Council of Family and Child Caring Agencies
2021 national survey by @TrevorProject: “the majority of LGBT youth (52%) who were enrolled in middle or high school report being bullied either in person or electronically in the past year.” This #SpiritDay, take the pledge against LGBTQAI+ bullying: https://t.co/B0zFPSBtJk pic.twitter.com/tJD3XvD31f
— COFCCA (@COFCCA) October 21, 2021
Hetrick-Martin Institute
JMTC Theater
LGBTQ+ students are disproportionately bullied for simply existing. That’s why #JMTCTheatre joins @glaad on this #SpiritDay in condemning bullying and lifting up LGBTQ+ students voices.
Wear purple to show support and here’s other ways you can help:https://t.co/rH2nG5KfrL pic.twitter.com/g4wCBCqSTH— JMTC Theatre (@JMTCTheatre) October 21, 2021
Metro New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Trevor Project
It’s #SpiritDay! Go purple now to take a stand against bullying and to support LGBTQ youth. https://t.co/3BhUKOuQul pic.twitter.com/bWQxGq1T3T
— The Trevor Project (@TrevorProject) October 21, 2021
New York Health System
We stand against bullying at @NYCHealthSystem /Elmhurst#ElmhurstStrong#SpiritDay#SpiritDay2021 #StopBullying pic.twitter.com/mDUdxPT5zS
— MannyL (He/His/Him) (@lacayom) October 21, 2021
The New York City sports teams made sure to share messages of solidarity and support with LGBTQ youth
The New York Mets
Join us in taking a stand against bullying. We support the LGBTQ youth and are in support of inclusion. #SpiritDay pic.twitter.com/oGPP4eLcuh
— New York Mets (@Mets) October 21, 2021
New York Yankees
The Yankees organization is proud to join @MLB in celebration of #SpiritDay . Today, and all days, we take a stand against LGBTQ+ bullying. pic.twitter.com/oHp6R7kkqs
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 21, 2021
The Teletubbies showed up early on–at the City’s cultural hub, Lincoln Center–to make sure their hugs were ready to go:
Thursday is #SpiritDay and the Teletubbies are sharing Big Hugs and Big Love. Head over to @GLAAD to show up and get involved pic.twitter.com/MdcY7ZOGvi
— Teletubbies (@TeletubbiesHQ) October 17, 2021
Even the local news got into the purple spirit. Here’s ABC Eyewitness News 7 and ]hosts of NBC New York and Spectrum News NY1
No one should be bullied or called names simply for being who they are. That’s why you are encouraged to wear purple for #SpiritDay on October 21. #ChooseKindness https://t.co/2VGwVMIJ6k pic.twitter.com/rHRIDxlova
— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) October 21, 2021
National morning shows and cable news based in New York City also showed their support for LGBTQ youth including hosts of The View, ABC’s Good Morning America, Gayle King of CBS This Morning, Drew Barrymore, Ross Mathews, Trevor Noah, Kelly Ripa, Ryan Seacrest, MSNBC’s Craig Melvin, Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, and CNN’s Don Lemon.
Happy #SpiritDay! #WWHL is proud to go purple with @GLAAD to support LGBTQ+ youth & to take a stand against bullying! https://t.co/gHkATpgu7R pic.twitter.com/vWwZJs9JN2
— WWHL (@BravoWWHL) October 22, 2021
Today is @glaad‘s #SpiritDay, where millions of Americans wear purple in support for LGBTQ+ youth and to speak out against bullying. Consider donating to the organization at https://t.co/CKZUvlyaHQ pic.twitter.com/RCzf5Q4rV5
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) October 22, 2021
.@TheView is proud to go purple today on @glaad’s #SpiritDay to support LGBTQ+ youth and take a stand against bullying! #ChooseKindness
Join us:https://t.co/VX6jOBp36Ihttps://t.co/zgdcSGclUP pic.twitter.com/xRh0mTfHDz
— The View (@TheView) October 21, 2021
About Spirit Day:
Each year, millions go purple for GLAAD’s Spirit Day to support LGBTQ youth in a united stand against bullying. Started in 2010 by high school student Brittany McMillan in response to numerous young LGBTQ lives lost to suicide, Spirit Day now draws the participation of celebrities, schools, faith institutions, national landmarks, corporations, media outlets, sports leagues, and advocates around the world, all joining together to stand against bullying and support LGBTQ youth.
Presenting sponsors Target, Visible, and Wells Fargo, official sponsors NYC Dept of Youth and Community Development, the NYC Department of Education, Sally Hansen, Porsche, SKITTLES, and community sponsors Amazon, Kellogg Company, Kirkland & Ellis, National Basketball Association & Women’s National Basketball Association, NFL, Nike, and Shutterfly will all participate in Spirit Day.
In 2021, Spirit Day takes on a renewed importance due to the unprecedented challenges facing LGBTQ youth. Over the last year and a half, many LGBTQ youth have not been in school, unable to attend in-person meetings of Gay-Straight Alliances, Gender-Sexuality Alliances or on-campus colleges LGBTQ organizations. During this time, LGBTQ youth have also become increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of cyberbullying, specifically with heightened levels of anti-LGBTQ hate and harassment on social media. Some LGBTQ youth may be confined to a home environment that may be unsupportive or abusive. As well, an unprecedented number of anti-LGBTQ bills in state legislatures specifically targeting trans and nonbinary youth have been in the news. Calls to The Trevor Project’s hotline for LGBTQ youth have at times more than doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
This year, Spirit Day is on October 21, 2021. Take the Spirit Day pledge to show LGBTQ youth you’ve got their backs at glaad.org/spiritday. Follow @GLAAD on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to keep up to date with #SpiritDay news.