#SPIRITDAY 2024 ORGANIZED BY GLAAD

AMERICA’S HEARTLAND LIGHTS UP FOR #SPIRITDAY WITH SKYLINES IN NYC, KANSAS CITY, CLEVELAND AND DALLAS GOING PURPLE FOR LGBTQ YOUTH 

LAVERNE COX UNPACKS ANTI-LGBTQ LEGISLATION, SPOTLIGHTS TRANSPHOBIC LAWMAKERS IN #SPIRITDAY SEGMENT ON THE DAILY SHOW

GLAAD RINGS NASDAQ STOCK MARKET OPENING BELL LIVE IN TIMES SQUARE AS MAJOR LEAGUE SPORTS, TALK SHOWS, CELEBRITIES AND MORE STAND UNITED IN SUPPORT OF LGBTQ YOUTH

New York, New York, Friday, October 18, 2024 – Today, GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization organized its annual united stand against bullying and show of support for LGBTQ youth: #SpiritDay.

Since the inaugural #SpiritDay in 2010, GLAAD has organized hundreds of celebrities, media outlets, brands, landmarks, sports leagues, faith groups, school districts, organizations, colleges and universities in what has become the most visible anti-LGBTQ bullying campaign and united show of support for LGBTQ youth by going purple.

Purple also symbolizes spirit on the LGBTQ Pride flag.

The annual tradition was started in 2010 by GLAAD and then high school student Brittany McMillan, in memory of the LGBTQ youth who died by suicide. McMillan encouraged her friends to wear purple on a day in October — a day that came to be known as #SpiritDay.

LAVERNE COX CALLS OUT TRANSPHOBIC LAWMAKERS ON THE DAILY SHOW

In a special #SpiritDay segment of The Daily Show, Laverne Cox unpacked the flood of anti-LGBTQ bills and legislation in the U.S. and exposed elected officials for their harmful rhetoric and attitudes toward LGBTQ people, spotlighting the millions of dollars being spent on transphobic attack ads.

“The real bullies aren’t in the schoolyard; they’re on Capitol Hill,” The Daily Show said in a social media post.

Watch in full on YouTube and Instagram.

AMERICA’S HEARTLAND GOES PURPLE FOR LGBTQ YOUTH

Landmarks including One World Trade in New York City, The Terminal Tower in Cleveland, Cleveland’s Signature Skyscraper, The Bank of America Plaza in Dallas, and Kansas City all turned purple for #SpiritDay 2024 in support of LGBTQ youth. From City Hall to the historic Kansas City Power and Light building to Kansas City’s very own Union Station, all of Kansas City’s downtown historic buildings lit the night sky purple to stand in solidarity with LGBTQ youth across the region and country on #SpiritDay.

GLAAD RINGS THE NASDAQ STOCK MARKET OPENING BELL

On Thursday morning, October 17th, GLAAD rang the Nasdaq Stock Market Opening Bell live in Times Square to kick off #SpiritDay and announced participants of the most visible anti-LGBTQ bullying campaign and united show of support for LGBTQ youth. GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis (she/her) was joined by the GLAAD staff based in New York, members of GLAAD’s Board, The Trevor Project’s CEO Jaymes Black (they/she/he) and Kevin Wong (he/him), The Ali Forney Center’s Steve Cruz (he/him) and Paul Cruz (he/him), and The Stonewall National Monument Visitors Center’s Tom Bagley (he/him) and Annie Willis (she/her), alongside LGBTQ creators and creatives part of GLAAD’s storytelling pipeline programs, together with influential voices and LGBTQ community thought leaders, to ring the opening bell at Nasdaq and kick off #SpiritDay. In her remarks, GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in part: “We celebrate today in the backdrop of a divided nation – activists and media igniting debate over LGBTQ people – and using transgender youth as political wedges. But let me be clear – our community is not up for debate.”

Attendees and special guests included former NFL defensive end R.K. Russell, activist, performer and drag artist Marti Gould Cummings, comedian Corey O’Brien, LGBTQ activist Kaia Ferrari, SoundCloud Chief Diversity Officer Antonious Porch, Chef Denevin Miranda, podcast host Jordan Hall, GLAAD Media institute alumni, among others.

Press Photos from the Nasdaq Opening Bell Ceremony are available HERE.

Video of the Nasdaq Opening Bell Ceremony are available HERE.

CNBC participated in #SpiritDay, turning its logo both on broadcast and across digital purple, with on-air talent around the U.S., Europe and Asia wearing purple in support of LGBTQ youth.

iHeartMedia supported #SpiritDay for an eighth year by running national PSA spots across its radio network leading up to #SpiritDay and featuring social and editorial online coverage.

Networks, talk shows, outlets and distributors activating for #SpiritDay included: Access Hollywood, Access Daily, CBS, “Despierta América” (TelevisaUnivision), E! News, “FBI: Most Wanted”, NBC5 Dallas-Fort Worth, Logo TV, MSNBC’s Morning Joe, OUT@NBC, PRIDE ABC News, “Primer Impacto” (TelevisaUnivision), USA Network “The Talk, and “The View,” and more.

CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION:

Select #SpiritDay posts for coverage and embedding into stories:

• ABC7, BravoTV, CBS, LOGO TV, CNBC, MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Queerty, Telemundo, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The TODAY Show, The View, The Talk, USA Network, the writer’s room of “Fire Country”
• NFL Network’s Good Morning Football, MLB, NBA, WNBA
• Braunwyn Windham-Spinner, Chris Colfer, Frankie Grande, Matty Maggiacomo, Megan Hilty, Paolo Presta, Paul Feig, Senator John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Speaker of the New York City Council Adrienne Adams, SIX on Broadway, Ty Herndon, Sterling K. Brown,
• Amnesty International, Congressional Equality Caucus, EveryLibrary, GMHC, New York State Education Dept., NOH8 Campaign, Naming Project, NY City Council, Poder Latinx, RUSA LGBTQ, UN Free & Equal an initiative of the United Nations Human Rights Office

GLAAD EDITORIAL

Read up on GLAAD’s coverage of #SpiritDay 2024:

• GLAAD Rings Nasdaq Stock Market Opening Bell to Kick Off #SpiritDay
• Morning and Talk Shows Stand in Solidarity with LGBTQ Youth for #SpiritDay
• Pro Sports Leagues Go on the Offense for LGBTQ Youth on #SpiritDay 2024
• Major League Baseball Teams Across the Country Show Support for LGBTQ Youth this #SpiritDay
• LGBTQ Centers from Around the Country Commemorate Spirit Day at CenterLink Conference
• Iconic Landmark in Downtown Cleveland Lights Up for LGBTQ Youth
• Latine Celebrities and Spanish-language Media Stand with LGBTQ Youth on #SpiritDay
• The biggest names in entertainment go purple for LGBTQ youth on #SpiritDay
• Communities of Color Everywhere Wear Purple and Celebrate GLAAD’s 2024 Spirit Day
• United Nations Leads the Globe in Going Purple for Spirit Day
  
• Christian Faith Groups Go Purple for Spirit Day
• LGBTQ Centers from Around the Country Commemorate Spirit Day at CenterLink Conference
• Celebrities, Shows and the Biggest Names in Entertainment Entered the Chat for #SpiritDay 2024
• Everything to Know About Frankie Grande’s “A Night of Broadway” #SpiritDay 2024 Gala for GLAAD

Celebrities and creators including, Amy Schneider, Billy Eichner, The Blessed Madonna, Bryan Ruby, Chris Housman, Chris Mosier, Corey O’Brien, the Broadway cast of Death Becomes Her, Forest Claudette, Francesca Noel, Julie Williams, Kathy Hilton, Katie Kadan, Liza Colon-Zayas, Loren Allred, Marcia Gay Harden, Malika Andrews, Margaret Cho, Marisa Bode, Marlilu Henner, Paul Feig, Rebecca Zamolo, Roxy Sternberg, Sophia Scott, Sterling K. Brown, Tramell Tillman, VINCINT, among others participated in #SpiritDay 2024.

Faith leaders, global organizations and nonprofits including, Interfaith Alliance, Communion Play, ELCA – Southeastern Synod, Yass, Jesus!, Wartburg Theological Seminary, went purple and united in love for LGBTQ youth for #SpiritDay 2024.

Previous #SpiritDay participants include the Obama White House, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, the Empire State Building, Oprah Winfrey, Sec. Hillary Clinton, Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, Kerry Washington, Halle Berry, Laverne Cox, Celine Dion, Shaquille O’Neal, Sam Smith, Jimmy Kimmel, Troye Sivan, Good Morning America, The TODAY Show, The View, The Talk, The Tonight Show, the NBA and WNBA, all Major League Baseball teams, NASCAR, WWE, Meta, the Las Vegas Strip, and many more.

FRANKIE GRANDE’S #SPIRITDAY 2024 GALA:

As previously announced, actor, performer, activist and member of GLAAD’s Board of Directors, Frankie Grande, curated and hosted “A Night of Broadway (but make it Queer!)” #SpiritDay Gala, presented by McDonald’s, gathered some of Broadway’s brightest stars to shine a light on LGBTQ youth and take a stand against bullying. The live music event took place at The Box in New York City and included performances by Tony Award nominee Orfeh, Tony Award nominee Lilli Cooper, Salina Estitties (RuPaul’s Drag Race), Antwayn Hopper (Cats: The Jellicle Ball, A Strange Loop), Emma Hunton (Freeform’s Good Trouble, Wicked), Troy Iwata (The Daily Show), rapper Jade Jones, Courtney Reed (Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Broadway’s Aladdin), Nina West (RuPaul’s Drag Race), the cast of Bucks County Playhouse’s The Rocky Horror Story.

A #SpiritDay Gala featurette will release in the coming days, with  accompanying social video vignettes here:

• Introducing: “A Night of Broadway” #SpiritDay Gala!
• Frankie Grande’s Civic Engagement Message this #SpiritDay
• Messages to LGBTQ Youth
• Peppermint’s Message to LGBTQ Youth
• New York City Councilmember Erik Bottcher’s #SpiritDay Message
• GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis’ #SpiritDay Message for LGBTQ youth
• ICYMI: Frankie Grande’s “A Night of Broadway” #SpiritDay Gala!

Photos from the event HERE, courtesy GETTY Images for GLAAD.

#SpiritDay Community Sponsors this year include: Hyundai, Kirkland & Ellis, the NFL, the NBA, the WNBA, the New York City Department Education, the New York City Council. This year’s “A Night of Broadway,” #SpiritDay Gala hosted by Frankie Grande at The Box in New City was presented by McDonald’s.

About #SpiritDay

GLAAD organizes celebrities, media outlets, brands, landmarks, sports leagues, faith groups, school districts, organizations, colleges and universities in what has become the most visible anti-LGBTQ bullying campaign in the world. Purple symbolizes spirit on the rainbow flag.

The annual tradition was started in 2010 by GLAAD and then high school student Brittany McMillan, in memory of the LGBTQ youth who died by suicide. McMillan encouraged her friends to wear purple on a day in October — a day that came to be known as #SpiritDay.

Today, LGBTQ youth, and especially trans and nonbinary youth, are experiencing a level of scrutiny in schools we have never seen, leading to an environment rife with stressors beyond the peer-to-peer bullying of the past. From book bans, to bans on trans youth in sports, to bathroom restrictions and teachers barred from using correct pronouns, the means by which a student can express themselves and see others like them are increasingly being challenged.

GLAAD’s 2024 Social Media Safety Index illuminates the epidemic of anti-LGBTQ hate, harassment, and disinformation across major social media platforms, and especially made note of high-follower hate accounts and right-wing figures who continue to manufacture and circulate most of this activity. This anti-LGBTQ rhetoric online manifests into real-life harm and has been cited as drivers of many of the more than 600 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in states around the country this year alone, many of which target transgender people and LGBTQ youth.

Last year, GLAAD’s #SpiritDay Index survey found:

• 95% of non-LGBTQ adults say schools should be a safe and accepting place for all youth
• 95% of non-LGBTQ adults say parent’s should support and love their child(ren) exactly as they are
• 93% of non-LGBTQ adults say I believe children should be taught to appreciate and accept people as they are
• 88% of non-LGBTQ adults say youth should be provided access to the factual information they need to make decisions that are right for them

Additional GLAAD research including our analysis on LGBTQ representation in TV, Film, Gaming and more can be found at GLAAD.org/Publications.

Take the #SpiritDay Pledge to show LGBTQ youth you’ve got their backs at glaad.org/spiritday.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE 2024 #SPIRITDAY RESOURCE KIT