Plymouth State Supports LGBT Spirit

         On Thursday, October 17, 2013, one may have noticed an infinite amount of purple being worn around campus, but why? The answer is simple: National Spirit Day. This is a day where people wear purple in order to show their support in standing up against bullying in the LGBTQ community.
         Spirit day was first recognized in October of 2010. A young Canadian student, Brittany McMillan, in cooperation with GLAAD, a principle organization in aiding the LGBTQ equality through news media, entertainment media, cultural institutions and social media, encouraged her friends to wear purple in memory of LGBTQ kids who had been bullied to the point of suicide. McMillan claimed that she "ultimately [wanted] spirit day to make one person feel a little bit better about his or herself, to feel safe enough in their own skin to be proud of who they are".
        The name "spirit day" comes from the purple stripe of the LGBTQ flag, which coincidentally means spirit. Since 2010, GLAAD has continued to spread the word about spirit day. Now, a mere three years later, spirit day is a national event that inspires millions of individuals, celebrities, schools, and many more to wear purple. Over 1.6 million have signed up for the event on Facebook and that number is expected to rise each year.
          Destiny De Los Santos, a sophomore here at Plymouth State indicates that she will be wearing purple all day today because she believes "no one should be bullied for the way they are born or who they love." With a warm smile she unzipped her coat and showed me her purple shirt, "I believe to show support for a cause you believe in is one of the most important aspects of life." Plymouth State Junior, Ana Bitto, was also found proudly wearing a purple ribbon as a headband in her hair for the day, explaining, "I heard about spirit day in class and simply wanted to show my support for the event".
         In today's generation, it is easy to see that many are becoming more accepting to the LGBQT community, demonstrated by PSU's very own S.A.G.E (Sexually Anti-Violence Gender Equality) center located here at Plymouth State offering "A student-focused resource center promoting a supportive, equitable and safe campus community that values a culture of respect for diverse populations and perspectives".
         The SAGE center is open Monday- Thursdays 10:00- 6:30 and on Fridays from 10:00-4:30. You can also call (603) 535-2387 to set up an appointment for a time that works best for you.