Go purple on October 15, 2015 for #SpiritDay

Will you go purple for Spirit Day this October 15?

On Spirit Day, millions go purple to stand against bullying and to show their support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth.

Observed annually since 2010, individuals, schools, organizations, corporations, and public figures wear purple, which symbolizes ‘spirit’ on the rainbow flag.

It may seem that bullying was last year’s topic, but bullying remains a daily experience for may LGBTQ teens and those who are perceived to be. Research has shown that bullying is linked to suicide among adolescents and leads to mental health issues later in life. Because of bullying, LGBT are more likely to miss school and drop out of school.

LGBT teens are often afraid to report the bullying to their teachers, and when they do, school staff often does nothing to resolve the issue.

SpiritDay is about going purple in support of LGBT youth. It is also about taking a stand against bullying and educating youth and adults on how they can help prevent it 365 days a year.

You can download the Anti-Bullying Resource Kit for students here and for parents/teachers/school officials here.

You can see pictures from last year’s Spirit Day here.

Some of the statistics referred to above can be found in the resource kit linked above and also on this page from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Another important and excellent suicide prevention resource is The Trevor Project.