Communities celebrate Spirit Day to show support for LGBTQ youth
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- If you noticed a bit more purple walking around on Thursday, it's not a coincidence, it's in honor of Spirit Day, a day of recognition by GLAAD to show support for LGBTQ youth.
There was a halo of purple around the Empire State Building, symbolizing a stand against bullying in honor of Spirit Day.
"It's a day to let young queer youth know that they have a place in this world," actress and journalist Eva Reign said.
Reign is an actress and journalist and is one of thousands of celebrities wearing purple for this international campaign.
She's a long-time partner of GLAAD, the media advocacy organization behind the movement.
The non-profit organization aims to ensure LGBTQ stories are seen and heard.
"Trying to find a media that you feel seen by, you feel represented by something that I really struggled with growing up," Reign said. "I always knew that I was a girl, and I was saying that in a moment that I could speak."
Originally from St. Louis and now living in New York City, Reign, a transgender woman, overcame bullying in more ways than one.
"People would tease me for being too feminine, but then I would stutter just trying to defend myself," Reign said.
It was a speech impediment that GLAAD mentors and therapists helped her fight.
Reign was able to find her voice. Now she's giving one to the voiceless in the transgender community through a Vice News docu-series called 'Transnational.'
Reign is also uplifting LGBTQ stories in her acting career, making her feature film debut last year.
Her story is one of perseverance.
"I spent a lot of time when I was younger trying to be someone else," Reign said.
Now communities are uniting in one shade for Spirit Day.
"We all need to wear purple; we all need to say gay, say trans, say queer," Reign said.
Reign hopes to inspire LGBTQ youth to live their true and authentic lives while fighting hate with love.
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