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The logo of the Equal Opportunities Office at TU Dortmund University
Text: Up to Date, Queer and Feminist Calendar © Borgschulze​/​TU Dortmund
The last Friday in August

Wear It Purple Day

On Wear It Purple Day, everyone is encouraged to wear purple clothing. It’s a day to take a stand against bullying and discrimination against queer youth and to celebrate queer life. Above all, the day is a call to action for allies of queer people: By wearing purple clothing, they show just how many supporters there are everywhere and that no one has to feel alone.

Wear It Purple Day takes place every year on the last Friday in August. It was launched in 2010 by Katherine Hudson and Scott William in response to the high suicide rates among queer youth (Wear It Purple, n.d.).

In September 2010, there was a series of suicides in the United States among young people who had previously experienced homophobia (McKinley, 2010). These reports sent shockwaves not only through American society but also internationally (NPR Staff and Wires, 2010 & Welt, 2010). It became clear that more awareness-raising, educational, and prevention efforts—as well as greater attention to the realities of life for queer youth—were necessary.

One result of this realization was Wear It Purple Day. Through public campaigns, workshops, and the wearing of purple clothing, attention is drawn to the lack of visibility of gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans*, intersex, non-binary, and queer children and adolescents (Wear It Purple, n.d.). The movement has since spread beyond the United States and is also gaining traction in Germany (Vielfalt Leben […], 2025).

In Germany, studies show that homophobia and queerphobia are part of everyday life for many people. A 2026 report by the Federal Criminal Police Office shows that crimes motivated by anti-queer sentiment increased by approximately 17% in 2025 compared to the previous year (Bundeskriminalamt, 2026). From 2023 to 2024, the number of these crimes even rose by 50% (Bundeskriminalamt, 2024). Further studies from recent years indicate that the rate of suicide attempts among LGBT youth is higher than among heterosexual youth (Yıldız, 2019).

Wear It Purple Day aims to raise awareness about the experiences of discrimination faced by queer youth, as well as the impact this discrimination can have on their mental health. At the same time, the day aims to raise awareness of support structures and resources for queer people and to highlight the size of the queer community and its network of allies (Wear It Purple, n.d.).

 

Status: August 2026

Sources (in German)

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