A simple color can do a lot. Wearing a bright color makes you seem happier and more approachable. Schools tend to be dominated by specific colors and show school pride. Sports teams use colors to designate who is on their side and who is against them. An international sign of wearing purple on October 20, 2010 was to stand up against hate.
Around Manhattan College that day, a Catholic College with an accepting, LaSalleian outlook, purple was the color of choice for most. Whether it was in the form of a T-shirt, jacket, or even a scarf, the color stood out in a normally sea of green, the color of school sweatshirts donned by those rushing to class.
This symbol against hate was manifested by those in the LGBTQ community, in response to the tragic suicides of seven homosexual teenage boys. The color purple, on the LGBTQ flag, represents spirit and that’s what this call to action needed. Many college students heard about this from Facebook events, calling people to “Wear Purple in Honor!” and to show support in any way possible. Just one event alone had about 30,000 people “attending” and many more than that joined the event.
Popular microblogging website, Tumblr.com, was also a major factor in spreading this cause. The high levels of LGBTQ support on the entire site allowed this message to be reblogged, which is reposted by other people, around 30,000 times. Users of the site also called for the page itself to turn purple on that day, which happened at exactly 12:00am that day.
In an attempt to spread the word on campus, everyone received a JasperNet email from the Standing Together group. Calling to “never again” let this happen, and to show increased support for the community and cause.
As students sat in class, they could look around and see a sea of purple. On those who were not wearing purple, many of them apologize to those in the color, saying that they just “did not own anything purple.” It was apparent that the community at Manhattan College supported this cause, but it was even more widespread than colleges making news stations and causing a stir everywhere.
Manhattan College sophomore, Kerry McNulty, described her reason for wearing purple that day as “to support those who are bullied and made fun of for their lifestyles and choices.” McNulty, like many other students, were outraged when they heard stories, such as Tyler Clementi’s, the Rutgers student who committed suicide after his roommate allegedly invaded his privacy and recorded him in a sexual act with another man.
When talking about gay rights in general, sophomore, Moira Bence, declared that “people should be able to do whatever the hell they want to” and that no one has a right to judge other people based on who they are.
The LGBTQ community was standing up against hate, and standing up for their own rights. So many people support this cause and the other ones that have started. The “It Gets Better” project was founded by Dan Savage, writer and pundit, who wanted to support LGBTQ youth. The pledge on the website starts with: “Everyone deserves to be respected as they are.” The “It Gets Better” project is a compilation of videos created by people to give the message that things are not so good now, but they will get better. Those who have created videos include everyone from Barack Obama, to Tim Gunn, to normal everyday college students who need help just as much as the rest.
The videos tell stories of hope. These messages are heartfelt and emotional, sometimes even telling their own attempts at taking their life. No one wants anyone to feel like they need to take their own life, and no one wants anyone to be bullied.
In addition to just standing together against bullying, the LGBTQ community has also been pushing for the right to gay marriage. Having Prop 8 recently overturned in California, there is a group known as FCKH8. On their website is a video explaining their message with a few vulgarities, but the shirts on their own are to make a statement. A statement is exactly what they make reading: “Some chicks marry chicks. Get over it.” And the equivalent: “Some dudes marry dudes. Get over it.”
The tragic loss of those seven boys has ended up creating such a huge movement throughout the country and the world. Now more than ever, people realize that the hate needs to stop and that we all have to be in this together. We wore purple that day to show our support. It was a way to show those struggling that there is hope, “it gets better,” and that they are not in this alone. Just wearing a certain color can feel so empowering, especially with a strong message behind it.
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