Oprah Winfrey & OWN support #SpiritDay

Oprah Winfrey and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network supported Spirit Day this year! OWN turned the on-air logo, Facebook and Twitter photos purple on Thursday, October 17 in support of LGBT youth. This is the first time that OWN changed its logos to recognize a social initiative and there will be more LGBT programming on the way!

Oprah.com posted a special video from Shane Bitney Crone, whose documentary Bridegroom will premiere on OWN on October 27, about why Spirit Day matters to him and so many around the country.

 

 

The network's staff all wore purple and tweeted a photo to show their support.

 

 

Oprah's support for the LGBT community isn't limited to #Spirit Day! On Sunday, October 27, OWN will keep the conversation about LGBT issues going with a night of programming focusing on being gay in America. At 9 p.m., out actors Wanda Sykes, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Dan Bucatinsky will discuss coming out and their lives in Hollywood in a special edition of Oprah's Next Chapter.

Oprah's Next Chapter will be followed at 10 p.m. by the television premiere of the documentary Bridegroom, which examines the story of Shane Bitney Crone following the tragic death of his partner and subsequent shunning by his partner's family.

Shane is a friend of GLAAD and participated in Spirit Day last year. GLAAD has worked with Shane since his YouTube video, "It Could Happen to You," went viral in May 2012.

OWN joined MTV, VH1, MTVu, Lifetime, Sundance, TV Land and other networks in support Spirit Day.

On October 17, 2013, celebrities including Ashton Kutcher, Betty White, Demi Lovato, Jimmy Kimmel, Nick Cannon, Kristen Bell, Macklemore, Melissa Etheridge, WWE Superstar Darren Young and more went purple for the fourth annual Spirit Day. Eric McCormack & Debra Messing also wore purple ribbons during a Will & Grace reunion – as did TLC's Stacy London - on TODAY. Hosts of shows including Access Hollywood, Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, Extra, Good Morning America and the Wendy Williams Show also wore purple and spoke about Spirit Day on-air. The White House sent out messages of support on Twitter and tumblr. Sports leagues including Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the NBA, the NFL, the NHL and the WNBA participated on social media. And companies like American Eagle Outfitters, NBCUniversal, MTV, The Coca-Cola Company and Johnson & Johnson took a stand, along with hundreds of landmarks, schools, faith groups, media outlets, companies, and organizations. Facebook and Twitter users turned their profile photos purple and posted photos of classmates and coworkers wearing purple, and their messages of support for LGBT youth made #SpiritDay trend on Twitter.

Founded in 2010, Spirit Day is an international, united stand against bullying and show of support for LGBT teens and young adults everywhere. As we look back on Spirit Day 2013, please continue to spread the message and take action against bullying:

Thanks for helping make Spirit Day 2013 a success!

 

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