Show Up for LGBTQ Youth and Celebrate #SpiritDay with GLAAD!

Guest blog by Tony Morrison, GLAAD’s Senior Director of Communications.

For an 8th consecutive year, iHeartMedia proudly continues its partnership with GLAAD to support #SpiritDay, the world’s largest and most visible LGBTQ anti-bullying campaign. Today, October 17, millions will take a stand against the bullying of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) youth. Along with iHeartMedia, artists joining GLAAD on this powerful day of action have included Aly & AJ, Wayne Brady, Sterling K. Brown, Nick Carter, Céline Dion, Idina Menzel, Maren Morris, Troye Sivan, Britney Spears, Betty Who and VINCINT, just to name a few across every level of the music and entertainment industry.

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. 

Purple symbolizes spirit on the rainbow flag.

Each year since then, GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, organizes the annual united stand against bullying and show of support for LGBTQ youth known as #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.

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

Leading up to #SpiritDay on October 17, iHeartMedia ran PSA’s across its stations to highlight the impact bullying has on LGBTQ youth worldwide and encourage listeners to ‘go purple’ and take the #SpiritDay pledge to unite against the bullying of LGBTQ youth of all backgrounds.

Do your part and take a stand against bullying and show support for LGBTQ youth by wearing purple, sharing your stories on social media and taking the #SpiritDay Pledge now at glaad.org/spiritday.