The GLAAD Media Institute ended its two-week Australian training tour by celebrating Spirit Day with LGBTQ advocates in Sydney. Participants from a variety of organizations, including Wear It Purple, which is Australia’s campaign against bullying.

The GLAAD Media Institute training tour of Australia is a partnership of GLAAD and The Equality Project, bringing skills and best media practices to Australian LGBTQ advocates. Over the course of two weeks, the training was presented to 150 advocates over eight courses in five cities: Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, and Sydney.

The final day of training in Sydney, participants wore purple in support of LGBTQ youth and against bullying, and took photos in front of the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Participants included Benjamin Law, writer and creator of the Australian television show The Family Law.

Anthony Venn-Brown, founder of Ambassadors and Bridge Builders International and author of A Life of Unlearning, a memoir about his experience with so-called “conversion therapy.”

Leadership of Out for Australia, affirming religious communities, and leaders in Australia’s capital, Canberra.

Previous participants in the GLAAD Media Institute and Equality Project leadership training academy also tweeted their participation and support.

 Spirit Day is a means of speaking out against LGBTQ bullying and standing with LGBTQ youth, who disproportionately face bullying and harassment because of their identities.

Please Like Share Comment #RainbowRoo#SpiritDay pic.twitter.com/uiNZw6hKnc

— Rainbow Roo (@RainbowRooAus) October 16, 2019

October 17th is #SpiritDayand I am showing my support for LGBTQ youth by going purple today. Take the pledge to show your support: t.co/qMdKPlAApx @glaad #TeamTroyeMamas™️ pic.twitter.com/TFbk2pXpd0

— Cazza – TeamTroyeMamas™️ (@cazzawillcock) October 16, 2019

Don’t post pics of my outfit but today is special! I promised @inlayterms from @glaad Media Institute I’d wear purple for #SpiritDay on the last day of @EqualityProj_au. For the Aussies out there it’s the US version of @WearitPurple all the #LGBTIQ folks doing it tough pic.twitter.com/DMuYhqtToE

— Giancarlo de Vera (@gdevera) October 16, 2019

We post the image of this baton, confiscated during WWII from an internee at Loveday Internment Camp, as a reminder of the soul-crushing effects bullying, harassment and exclusion have on the LGBTQI+ community.#QueeringTheMuseum #QTM #SpiritDay #bullying pic.twitter.com/KHS506fTRl

— History Trust of SA (@HistorySA) October 17, 2019

About Spirit Day

Each year, millions go purple for GLAAD’s Spirit Day to support LGBTQ youth in a united stand against bullying. Started in 2010 by high school student Brittany McMillan in response to numerous young LGBTQ lives lost to suicide, Spirit Day now draws the participation of celebrities, schools, faith institutions, national landmarks, corporations, media outlets, sports leagues, and advocates around the world, all joining together to stand against bullying and support LGBTQ youth.

Presenting partners Pantene and Target, official partners Kellogg’s and the NBA and WNBA, and community partners Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, Kirkland & Ellis, and Wells Fargo will all participate in the anti-bullying campaign. 

As anti-LGBTQ policies, hate crimes, and harassment are on the rise, it is now especially important to let all marginalized youth know they are supported.

This year, Spirit Day is on October 17, 2019. Take the Spirit Day pledge to show LGBTQ youth you’ve got their backs at glaad.org/spiritday. Follow @GLAAD on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to keep up to date with #SpiritDay news.