Erynn Rochford
Features Reporter

Recent media has shined the spotlight on bullying awareness in America’s schools hoping for change. In recent months an alaraming number of young students have committed suicide due to bullying for being gay. In order to honor Tyler Clementi, the Ritguers University student who recently commited suicide, among other young LGBT (lesbian gay bisexual transgender) who have committed suicide after being tormented by fellow students, the online community created an “event page” and declared October 20th to be “wear purple day”.
Although this was the first time the day was celebrated, it was a success on Mesa State’s campus. Plenty of students walked the halls wearing purple to promote awareness of the tragic things happening to those not too far from home. “I wore purple because I am peaceful and no one deserves to be disrespected,” said Mesa State senior Brooke McNeill.
In one group created for the event on Facebook over 58,000 members pledged to wear purple on Oct 20.
Junior Casie Knott said, “I wore purple on Wednesday because I think people should embrace differences and learn from them instead of being scared and naïve. I believe a person’s sexual preference doesn’t define who they are, and maybe if you took the time to sit down and talk with them you’d see they aren’t much (different) from you and me.”