Spirit Day- wearing purple to end anti-LGBT bullying

WEAR PURPLE ON OCTOBER 20 FOR SPIRIT DAY

How can you help show your support for the teens who took their lives because of anti-LGBT bullying?

1. Wear purple on Wednesday, October 20!

2. Twitter pic: Click here to turn your Twitter profile pic purple now through October 20

3. Facebook pic: Click here to create a purple version of your Facebook profile pic - Then look for the purple photo in a new photo album called "Twibbons," click on the purple photo, and click "Make Profile Picture." Works best on square profile pictures. 
4. On Wednesday, post this tweet: I'm wearing purple to end anti-LGBT bullying - make your profile pic purple today #SpiritDay http://glaad.org/spiritday

5. On Wednesday, post this Facebook status: I'm wearing purple today to support LGBT youth - make your profile pic purple today for Spirit Day at http://glaad.org/spiritday

6. Help promote by downloading this graphic for your blog or website

On Twitter? Use the hashtag #SpiritDay in your tweets - let's make #SpiritDay a trending topic!

WHAT IS SPIRIT DAY?

The idea behind Spirit Day, first created by teenager Brittany McMillan earlier this month, is a simple one, not dissimilar to the idea of "Spirit Week" held in many high schools, and can be summed up in three words: Everyone Rally Together.

Spirit Day honors the teenagers who had taken their own lives in recent weeks. But just as importantly, it's also a way to show the hundreds of thousands of LGBT youth who face the same pressures and bullying, that there is a vast community of people who support them.

Purple symbolizes 'spirit' on the rainbow flag, a symbol for LGBT Pride that was created by Gilbert Baker in 1978.

As one of the event's Facebook pages says: "This event is not a seminar nor is it a rally. There is NO meeting place. All you have to do is wear purple." 

Wearing purple on October 20 is a simple way to show the world that you stand by these courageous young people and a simple way to stand UP to the bullies. Remember those lives we've tragically lost, and show your solidarity with those who are still fighting. 'Go Purple' today!  

Please RSVP to these events on Facebook: "R.I.P. ;; In memory of the recent suicides due to gay abuse, wear purple" and Spirit Day, A GLOBAL Day of remembering.

ARE YOU IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE HELP?

LGBT youth in need of immediate help should contact The Trevor Project 's 24/7 Lifeline at 866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386) or The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

MEDIA/BLOGGER CONTACT

Read the press release.

Download a graphic for your website or blog. 
Rich Ferraro
Director of Public Relations
ferraro@glaad.org
(646) 871-8011

This Issue of Morality

What is morality? Let’s look at two definitions of the word:

• Concern with the distinction between good and evil or right and wrong; right or good conduct [1].
• A particular system of values and principles of conduct, especially one held by a specified person or society [2].

It seems many persons in this morally upright and “fervently Christian country[3]” would prefer their daughters to become single mothers from as young as 16, and their sons to become criminals, than for them to be gay, lesbian, or even bisexual. What kind of messed morality is that?

Then these same persons say that homosexuals are morally degenerate, and countries accepting homosexuality and the acts of homosexuality are the last forms of moral depravation.

It always amuses me that Christians (since those are the persons I come in contact with on a daily basis) draw regularly on Biblical passages to condemn homosexuality, I hope to deal with some of those passages in subsequent posts. Yet how often do you hear them draw references to Biblical passages to deal with these issues of teenage pregnancy, fornication, and crimes? Although none is greater than the other (if you believe homosexuality is a sin) it seems as though homosexuality has become the biggest sin.

Correct me if I’m wrong, aren’t the promiscuity, fornication, murders, greed, etc. celebrated throughout different aspects of our society, morally degrading as well?

Family life is decaying and homosexuality is not the cause as many religious people would love for us to think. With society (globally) becoming increasingly tolerant, more persons are feeling comfortable disclosing their sexual orientation, and so the need for some persons to live a heterosexual lifestyle to avoid societal wrath, and to please family and friends, reduces or in some cases is eliminated. This panic- that homosexuality will lead to greater divorces has yet to be established, as the causes of divorces (throughout my reading) do not touch on the acceptance of sexuality. Interestingly a 2008 journal piece (Marriage, as we know it, is worth saving) on the National Organization for Marriage website[4] states that divorce rates are declining slightly.

Just look at gambling it has been around for a very long time, I don’t know what the public outcry was when it was first being introduced, but I know of the outcry when PM Golding decided to legalise casino gambling; that was another factor eating at the morality of the Jamaican society, yet how long and loud was the cry? How could the PM, in a September interview say that we are a largely Christian nation and so our morals are based on Christian principles, yet decide to legalise casino gambling. Hello am I the only one to whom that doesn’t make sense?

Why is it that one set of values can be bent while another held so rigidly? Since the Bible is the basis for majority of our principles (PM interview Sept 2010) then its rules should be the same right across the board.

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[1] http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=morality

[2] http://oxforddictionaries.com/view/entry/m_en_us1269174?rskey=sbhfvg&result=43#m_en_us1269174.003

[3] Interviewed with David Hirschman recorded on September 25, 2010

[4] http://www.nationformarriage.org/site/c.omL2KeN0LzH/b.5075687/apps/s/content.asp?ct=5746475