Today is Spirit Day, an observance begun in 2010 in response to the increasing number of young people known to have died by suicide after relentless bullying. Much of the focus is on harassment and bullying of LGBT youth (or those perceived to be), and rightly so—but let’s not forget that children of LGBT parents, regardless of whether they are LGBT themselves, may also be targets.
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), which is organizing the event, is urging people to wear or display purple for the day. We’re always purplish around Mombian, but I’ll post this extra purple banner to mark the occasion. Feel free to grab and share.
Can a color—or a single day—really make a difference? Of course not. But a growing number of participants, including celebrities, corporations, faith communities, and all of the major professional sports leagues, indicate there is increasing visibility and awareness of the issue. Yes, we have to be careful not to “purplewash” bullying, in the same way that breast cancer has been “pinkwashed” (with companies slapping pink on everything simply to drive sales, with little or no real benefit to the cause), but I think we’re a ways from that.
If you’re looking for actions you can take to stop anti-LGBT bullying in your school, check out GLAAD’s Amplify Your Voice resource kits for students and parents, or the many resources from the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network.
Even after Spirit Day, we’ll stay purple here at Mombian. I chose the color long before Spirit Day existed, but perhaps the unintended connection will serve as a reminder that I started this blog to help make the world a safer, kinder place for my son—and all our children—to grow up.