Wearing purple on Oct. 20 shows solidarity with bullied youth. Image: Flickr / restlessglobetrotter / CC-BY
Walking down the street, you may see a person or two who has chosen to wear purple on October 20. Designated “spirit day” or “purple day,” October 20 is a day of solidarity for GLBTQ youth. By wearing purple, people are showing their support of bullied youth.
Spirit day started on Facebook
The movement to wear purple October 20, Spirit Day, started on Facebook. Multiple groups suggested that on Oct. 20, those who wanted to show solidarity with bullied GLBTQ youth should wear purple. More than 1 million people have responded to Spirit Day on just one of more than 12 Facebook events. In short, to wear purple on Oct. 20 is to show support of bullied youth. Pictures and videos of individuals wearing purple are already popping up around the web.
Wear purple day shows solidarity
Wear purple day is a way for people to show that they support Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning youth (GLBTQ) youth. This is in response to the multiple recent suicides of youth who were bullied because of their sexuality. The day began as a day of memorial for the seven teens who committed suicide in the past few months after enduring harassment because of their sexual orientation. The meaning of the day has expanded, however, to include all victims of bullying. While bullying has long been an issue in schools, it is a problem that has recently come to the forefront.
Spirit day just one response
The movement to wear purple October 20 is just one of the many responses to the spate of bullying-related suicides. The “It Gets Better” project is a project that has seen support from around the world, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Many schools and municipalities are also seriously discussing passing anti-bullying legislation and rules. The few court cases that have stemmed from bullying deaths have relied on statues such as manslaughter and assault. Some schools are pouring money into anti-bullying education, while some cities are developing specific anti-bullying laws.
