The American Federation of Teachers and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) released new anti-bullying PSA videos this morning, which feature celebrities including Naya Rivera, Shay Mitchell, Amy Poehler and Rashida Jones speaking out against anti-LGBT bullying and direct viewers to the free downloadable resource kits available from GLAAD as part of the “Amplify Your Voice” campaign.
In addition to the videos, plans were also announced for Spirit Day, an initiative encouraging Americans to wear purple on October 20 to stand up against anti-LGBT bullying and show support for LGBT youth. Celebrities will join companies including AT&T, Comcast, Facebook, Yahoo!, American Airlines, NBC Universal, Sundance Channel, Verizon, Goldman Sachs and many, many more in wearing purple on Spirit Day, and changing social media profile photos to purple to participate online.
Hosts from CNBC, CNN, E!, the Dr. Drew Show, MSNBC and The View will wear purple on-air. Many companies will also make their logos purple (SheWired and Advocate are doing it!) on their websites, social media profiles and elsewhere. In addition, MTV will change the color of their on-air logo to purple on Spirit Day, marking only the second time in history that the network has altered their logo color for a cause. Over the next year Comcast will contribute $3 million in national airtime to deliver this message to over 20 million homes.
View a full list of companies, celebrities and media outlets participating in Spirit Day on the Spirit Day website – it’s a lot!
The PSAs below urge viewers to check out the resource kits available on GLAAD’s website that offer best practices to parents, teachers and students with resources from the American Federation of Teachers, GLSEN, the National Center for Transgender Equality, The Trevor Project and more.
Celebrities featured in these first “Amplify Your Voice” campaign videos include Chaz Bono, Kristin Chenoweth, Rashida Jones, Sandra Lee, Amy Poehler, Naya Rivera, Tori Spelling, Ariel Winter, Mario Lopez, Shaquille O’Neal and Pretty Little Liars stars Shay Mitchell, Ashley Benson and Lucy Hale.
Spirit Day was started in 2010 by teenager Brittany McMillan to show support for LGBT youth and remember the lives lost to suicide.
“From Hollywood to corporate America, it’s clear that an overwhelming number of Americans today support LGBT youth and believe that no one should be bullied for being who they are,” said GLAAD Acting President Mike Thompson. “On Spirit Day and with our new ‘Amplify Your Voice!’ campaign, some of the greatest Hollywood, news and sports voices will be brought into America’s living rooms, reminding millions that no matter who you are, you have the power to make a difference.”
Check out the first set of videos from some of your favorite stars below.
Cast of Pretty Little Liars, Vinny Guadagnino, Ariel Winter, Chaz Bono and Naya Rivera:
More videos on next page...
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Kristin Chenoweth, Shaquille O'Neal, Naya Rivera, Rashida Jones and Amy Poehler and Chaz Bono:
Chaz Bono, Naya Rivera and Vinny Guadagnino:
Mario Lopez, Sandra Lee, Vinny Guadagnino, Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott and Dustin Lance Black:
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