WEAR IT PURPLE this Friday 15 October to raise awareness and show your support for LGBT teens in crisis.

The new Wear it Purple campaign came about in response to the horrific news that four teenagers committed suicide in the US last week.

Directed and championed by students from schools and universities throughout New South Wales and wider Australia, the campaign highlights that the mental health crisis affecting our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered peers is not something that we are willing to sit idly by through any longer.

On the 15th of October, we are encouraging everyone to wear purple wrist bands to work, school, university or wherever they may be to raise awareness of this tragedy- letting young people know that they are not alone and that they are supported.

Scott, a first year student at the University of Western Sydney has thrown his support behind the campaign.

“As a young person at high school, I was taught that simply being myself was not acceptable,” he says. “They taught me that through calling me names and not including me- I hated it.”

According to Suicide Prevention Australia, 38% of gay people have experienced discrimination. 50% have experienced verbal abuse. And shockingly, 74% of this abuse happened at school. Around 30% of Australian gay teenagers will attempt suicide. In Australia, on average over 200 young people will suicide this year. Around 30% of Australia’s gay teenagers will attempt suicide. Gay teens are 14 times more likely to attempt suicide than their straight peers.

“This mental health crisis is shocking and I believe that some urgent action needs to be taken by the wider community to show our support for gay teens at risk,” says Scott.

There’s widespread support for the campaign through Twenty10, the Federal Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, the NSW Teacher’s Federation, Headspace and many other community organisations.

Support the WEAR IT PURPLE movement this Friday by making a purple armband to wear, or simply wearing anything purple. Catch campaign news on Facebook and Twitter too.

It Gets Better!

Strong grass-roots reaction to the high-profile suicides of several LGBT teenagers in the US last week has seen numerous celebs take to YouTube to tell young queer and questioning people a simple and life-affirming message: IT GETS BETTER.

Here are some of our favourite celebrities with their It Gets Better messages:

Sia

Glee’s Chris Colfer

Cyndi Lauper

Jake Shears

Kathy Griffin