Anti-bullying advocate calls on presidential candidates to wear purple on Spirit Day
Wed. October 10, 2012 4:40 PM
New York, NY -
Today anti-bullying advocate and Spirit Day ambassador Katy Butler launched a Change.org petition asking President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney to join GLAAD and millions of Americans by wearing purple on October 19, 2012 for Spirit Day. Participants wearing purple on this day to stand against bullying and show support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) young people. The petition is viewable here: glaad.org/purple2012
GLAAD also announced additional participants for Spirit Day including the hosts of ABC's Good Morning America, CBS' The Talk, Bravo's Watch What Happens Live, the NBA, DJ Pauly D, Maria Menounos, Chaz Bono, and Facebook.
Katy Butler, a Michigan native who organized more than half a million people to call on the MPAA to change the rating of BULLY from ‘R' to ‘PG-13', was announced as a Spirit Day ambassador earlier this month joining celebrities such as Extra's Maria Menounos, Shaquille O'Neal, Wendy Williams, Perez Hilton, George Takei Shay Mitchell and Avan Jogia, as well as LGBT leaders including Jennifer Tyrrell, Janet Mock, Jordan Addison, Tiq Milan, Shane Bitney Crone and ally Zach Wahls.
Additionally, celebrities including Louis Van Amstel, Bryan Batt, Chaz Bono, Bailey Buntain, Margaret Cho, the cast of Days of Our Lives, Fran Drescher, Kaya Jones, Jennifer Knapp, Kara Laricks, Cyndi Lauper, Joel McHale, D.W. Moffett, Sonja Morgan, Mary Murphy, Matt Nordgren, Melissa Peterman, DJ Pauly D, Cierra Ramirez, SallyAnn Salsano, Lindsey Shaw, Freddie Smith, Stephen Wallem and Bruce Vilanch will also participate by going purple on October 19.
In 2010, teenager Brittany McMillan called on her friends to wear purple as a way to memorialize those who lost their lives to bullying. With GLAAD's help, Spirit Day has since garnered widespread support from celebrities, TV news and entertainment programs, corporations, organizations, schools, local communities, and even national landmarks. Spirit Day coincides with GLSEN's Ally Week, as well as National Bullying Prevention Month.
"Showing support for your friends, family and teachers can make all the difference in the world to young LGBT people, whether they are going through a tough time or not," said 17-year-old McMillan. "This year, Spirit Day is going to be bigger and better than ever, and I'm so thrilled to be going purple alongside some of my favorite celebrities, as well as millions of others in a united stand against bullying."
"By going purple for Spirit Day, millions of Americans are helping to send a clear message that no one should be bullied simply because of who they are," said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick.
GLAAD also announced additional participants for Spirit Day including the hosts of ABC's Good Morning America, CBS' The Talk, Bravo's Watch What Happens Live, the NBA, DJ Pauly D, Maria Menounos, Chaz Bono, and Facebook.
Katy Butler, a Michigan native who organized more than half a million people to call on the MPAA to change the rating of BULLY from ‘R' to ‘PG-13', was announced as a Spirit Day ambassador earlier this month joining celebrities such as Extra's Maria Menounos, Shaquille O'Neal, Wendy Williams, Perez Hilton, George Takei Shay Mitchell and Avan Jogia, as well as LGBT leaders including Jennifer Tyrrell, Janet Mock, Jordan Addison, Tiq Milan, Shane Bitney Crone and ally Zach Wahls.
Additionally, celebrities including Louis Van Amstel, Bryan Batt, Chaz Bono, Bailey Buntain, Margaret Cho, the cast of Days of Our Lives, Fran Drescher, Kaya Jones, Jennifer Knapp, Kara Laricks, Cyndi Lauper, Joel McHale, D.W. Moffett, Sonja Morgan, Mary Murphy, Matt Nordgren, Melissa Peterman, DJ Pauly D, Cierra Ramirez, SallyAnn Salsano, Lindsey Shaw, Freddie Smith, Stephen Wallem and Bruce Vilanch will also participate by going purple on October 19.
In 2010, teenager Brittany McMillan called on her friends to wear purple as a way to memorialize those who lost their lives to bullying. With GLAAD's help, Spirit Day has since garnered widespread support from celebrities, TV news and entertainment programs, corporations, organizations, schools, local communities, and even national landmarks. Spirit Day coincides with GLSEN's Ally Week, as well as National Bullying Prevention Month.
"Showing support for your friends, family and teachers can make all the difference in the world to young LGBT people, whether they are going through a tough time or not," said 17-year-old McMillan. "This year, Spirit Day is going to be bigger and better than ever, and I'm so thrilled to be going purple alongside some of my favorite celebrities, as well as millions of others in a united stand against bullying."
"By going purple for Spirit Day, millions of Americans are helping to send a clear message that no one should be bullied simply because of who they are," said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick.