WWE & THE CREATIVE COALITION TO SUPPORT GLAAD’S SPIRIT DAY
“No one should be bullied because of who they are,” said GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “GLAAD is proud to stand with WWE in the fight against bullying and in a visible display of support for LGBT youth.”
“Spirit Day is an important time for everyone to stand up against bullying and discrimination,” said Stephanie McMahon, WWE Chief Brand Officer. “WWE is proud to support the LGBT community and GLAAD by spreading the message of respect and inclusion through our global platforms.”
“The Creative Coalition is proud that GLAAD is a member of our Be a STAR Alliance and even more proud to support Spirit Day as an initiative that embodies the tenets of the Be a STAR program,” said CEO of The Creative Coalition Robin Bronk. “We commend GLAAD for Spirit Day and believe it enhances our commitment to utilizing the resources of the arts and entertainment community to increase acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth.”
Additionally, WWE and Be a STAR will stand up against bullying and support GLAAD’s Spirit Day by promoting the initiative through homepage takeovers on WWE.com and WWECommunity.com as well as social media support from WWE Superstars and Divas.
Spirit Day was started in 2010 as a response to the young people who had taken their own lives. Millions wear purple on Spirit Day as a sign of support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth and to speak out against bullying. With GLAAD’s help, Spirit Day has since garnered widespread support from entertainment organizations, sports leagues, celebrities, TV news and entertainment programs, corporations, schools, local communities, and even national landmarks.
According to GLSEN’s 2011 National School Climate Survey, 63.5% of LGBT students reported feeling unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation and 43.9% because of their gender expression. GLSEN also reported that 81.9% of LGBT students report being verbally harassed because of their sexual orientation and 63.9% because of their gender expression.
About Be a STAR
Be a STAR (beastaralliance.org) is an anti-bullying alliance co-founded by WWE and The Creative Coalition. Its mission is to ensure a positive and equitable social environment for everyone regardless of age, race, religion or sexual orientation through grassroots efforts beginning with education and awareness. Be a STAR, which stands for “Show Tolerance And Respect,” promotes positive methods of social interaction and encourages people to treat others as equals. WWE and The Creative Coalition leverage the power of The Creative Coalition’s entertainment industry constituencies and WWE’s global brand and platforms to help combat the bullying epidemic plaguing today’s youth.
About WWE
WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 170 countries and 35 languages and reaches more than 650 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Dubai, Munich, Dubai and Tokyo.
Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.
About The Creative Coalition
The Creative Coalition (www.TheCreativeCoalition.org) is the premier nonprofit, nonpartisan 501 (c)(3) social and public advocacy organization of the arts and entertainment community. Founded in 1989 by prominent members of the creative community, The Creative Coalition is dedicated to educating, mobilizing, and activating its members on issues of public importance. Actor Tim Daly serves as the organization’s President.
About GLAAD
GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBT equality. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org or connect with GLAAD on Facebook and Twitter.
