Thursday is GLAAD’s Spirit Day, and Hollywood is coming out in full force to express support for the LGBTQ community.
Spirit Day is the largest, most visible anti-bullying campaign in the world. By wearing purple, individuals can show support and take a stand against bullies and inequality. It’s a day to express solidarity with the LGBTQ community, particularly those youth who are at high risk for bullying and harassment.
“With hate crimes on the rise, discriminatory legislation popping up around the country, and an administration that is actively working against the LGBTQ community, Spirit Day is needed now more than ever,” GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement. “LGBTQ youth already experience disproportionate rates of bullying, and the current social and political climate only adds to that. But when people ‘go purple’ and take a stand on Spirit Day, it sends a resounding message to LGBTQ youth that they are loved and valued.”
Celebrities who “went purple” for Spirit Day ranged from outspoken members of the LGBTQ community like Laverne Cox and Ellen DeGeneres to entire casts and crews of shows and movies like Will and Grace and Nicole Kidman with the cast of the upcoming film Boy Erased. Organizations like the NBA and MLB expressed their support, while Celine Dion went so far as to record a special version of “Purple Rain” in French and English to share on her Facebook page. From Westworld to Westeros to Riverdale, the purple spirit was in no short supply.
See below for a sampling of Spirit Day posts.
