On this day in queerstory: Spirit Day

Today – and the third Thursday of every October – social media feeds, city landmarks, and classrooms across the world are washed in purple. It’s not a fashion trend or a football team’s color – it’s Spirit Day, the annual stand against bullying and harassment of LGBTQ+ youth.

What began in 2010 as one Canadian teenager’s heartfelt response to tragedy has grown into a global act of solidarity. Brittany McMillan, then a high school student, was devastated by a series of suicides among queer teens who’d faced relentless bullying. She wanted to do something simple but visible – something that could show young queer people that they weren’t alone. Her idea: a day where everyone who supported LGBTQ+ youth would wear purple, the color representing “spirit” in the rainbow flag.

The message was clear: you are seen, you are loved, and you deserve to be safe.

Fourteen years later, that simple idea has become one of the most visible LGBTQ+ awareness events in the world. From New York to Nairobi, from Warsaw to Wellington, millions of people take part. Broadcasters change their on-screen logos to purple. Schools hold assemblies and workshops. Politicians, celebrities, sports teams, and drag queens all post photos in violet hues. Even global landmarks – from the Empire State Building to Toronto’s CN Tower – glow purple through the night.

But Spirit Day isn’t just about visibility. It’s about protection – a reminder that for many queer and trans young people, safety can’t be taken for granted.

Bullying remains one of the biggest challenges LGBTQ+ youth face. A 2023 GLSEN survey found that nearly 70% of queer students reported feeling unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation, and more than half because of their gender expression. Rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide attempts among queer youth remain alarmingly high, with bullying and family rejection as key drivers.

So when people wear purple, it’s not just for show. It’s a call to action – to teachers, to parents, to policymakers – that supportive words must be matched by concrete protections.

In the years since it began, Spirit Day has evolved into more than an annual show of solidarity. It’s become a platform for activism and education. Organizations like GLAAD and The Trevor Project use the day to push for inclusive school policies, mental health resources, and legal protections for trans and queer youth. Media outlets often dedicate the day to telling young people’s stories — not as tragedies, but as stories of resilience, creativity, and hope.

In recent years, the movement has taken on renewed urgency. Across the United States and parts of Europe, trans rights have become flashpoints in cultural and political battles. In many places, queer youth are once again being targeted – in classrooms, on sports teams, even in libraries. Spirit Day, in this context, becomes both a shield and a banner: a visible, collective stand against fearmongering and scapegoating.

For LGBTQ+ students themselves, the day can feel deeply personal. Some describe walking into school and seeing purple shirts everywhere – worn by classmates, teachers, even the janitor – and feeling something shift. “For one day, I felt like it was okay to be me,” said one 16-year-old participant in 2024’s Spirit Day campaign. “I didn’t feel invisible.”

That’s the heart of it. Spirit Day is about visibility, but it’s also about belonging. The purple wave that spreads every October is a reminder that queerness isn’t a niche, an anomaly, or a secret – it’s part of the human story, deserving of celebration and protection.

As the world turns purple again this October, the message that started in one teenager’s bedroom still resonates: no one should be bullied for being who they are. Whether you’re in a bustling city or a small conservative town, wearing purple isn’t just a color choice – it’s a declaration.

That queer lives matter. That queer youth deserve joy. And that, together, we have the spirit to make that truth undeniable.