GLAAD Campus Ambassadors Spirit Day Video https://youtu.be/0DvL3uNjy_0
What is Spirit Day?
It is a day of rallying together by taking a stand against bullying and showing support to LGBTQ youth. In order to participate, people are encouraged to simply wear purple.
Okay, when is it?
October 18, 2018.
Why purple?
Gilbert Baker, the creator of the rainbow flag, stated that every color on the flag has a meaning. Purple represents spirit, hence wearing purple on spirit day!
What’s the issue?
Bullying and suicide.
The 2018 LGBTQ Youth Report by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) notes that LGBTQ youth experience bullying due to their LGBTQ identity, whether that identity is actual or perceived as LGBTQ.
Here are the numbers:
73% of LGBTQ Youth have experienced verbal threats because of their identity.
- 18% were bullied due to being perceived LGBTQ
- 3 in 10 have received physical threats
- 50% of transgender girls have been physically threatened
According to the CDC, Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among young people ages 10-24. After a sudden wave of suicides in 2010 due to anti-LGBTQ bullying, Brittany McMillan, a Canadian teenager, started Spirit Day. The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) promoted this event to show support to LGBTQ youth as well as honor those lost to suicide.
In 2010, Tyler Clementi committed suicide after being cyberbullied by his college dormmate at Rutgers University. His mother Jane, started the Tyler Clementi Foundation against bullying. “Tyler was not the first gay youth to die after cruel attacks by peers, and sadly, he wasn’t the last. Study after study continues to find that LGBTQ youth are at a higher risk for suicide than their heterosexual peers.” (Clementi, 2018).
This still happens today. In August of 2018, 9-year-old Jamel Myles committed suicide due to bullying, only four days after coming out as gay to his classmates.
How does this help?
Being visible!
By simply wearing purple you are taking a stance against LGBTQ bullying and letting LGBTQ youth know that they are not alone and have people who support them.
What else can I do?
Be an ally! Here are 5 suggestions from the HRC
- Listen to LGBTQ youth
By listening to LGBTQ youth you are not only validating their experiences, you can then educate other people in your life about the struggles LGBTQ youth face.
- Be a role model for kindness and inclusion
Speak up against hateful speech. Be a voice of reason against bigotry.
- Show young people that they can be authentic around you
Young people look for signals that you will be accepting of them or not. Think of ways to overtly or covertly say that you are accepting. If you are a teacher, this could be something as small as a rainbow flag on your desk.
- Take action at the local level to create safe spaces
Encourage inclusive policies at work, school board meetings, town hall meetings etc.
- Stay informed and get involved
Some organizations in the Dayton area provide training on how to be an ally as well.
And one from University of Dayton
https://udayton.edu/studev/dean/lgbtq/ally.php
Resources
- https://www.glaad.org/spiritday
- https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2018/09/tyler-clementi-died-8-years-ago-today-mom-wants-share-something/
- https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/9-year-old-commits-suicide-coming-gay-classmates-201811792.html?fbclid=IwAR3-yv0abPw-NwgXSN948w9Ou9O_hp6vj122GOuNhsJmrqQxPiqX06fGpNQ
- https://www.thetrevorproject.org/
- https://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/toolstemplates/entertainmented/tips/SuicideYouth.html
- https://www.hrc.org/resources/2018-lgbtq-youth-report
