Celebs from Demi Lovato and Laverne Cox to Billie Jean King and Thomas Roberts stand up against bullying on Spirit Day

To mark Spirit Day on Thursday, a number of celebrities wore purple and millions of other people decided to “go purple” online in a united stand against bullying and to show their support for LGBT youth.

Emmy nominated actress Laverne Cox took things a step further when she took part in lighting New York City’s famed Empire State Building purple for the night.

The Orange is The New Black star, who has become one of the most famous transgender people in the US this year, told the crowd at the lighting ceremony about why the effort to stop bullying is so close to her heart.

‘The issue of bullying is so deeply personal to me because I spent much of my youth being bullied, being called names. being chased home from school practically every day by groups of kids who wanted to beat me up and far too many LGBTQ youth are enduring the same thing across (the US) and it’s unacceptable.

‘I want LGBTQ youth to know that they are beautiful, that they are divinely made and that their lives mater.’

Other celebrities who wore purple and posted it on social media were tennis legend Billie Jean King, singer Demi Lovato, stars of the sitcom Mom Anna Faris and Allison Janney, singer Billy Ray Cyrus, the hosts of CBS’ The Talk, actor Beau Bridges and MSNBC Morning Joe personalities Thomas Roberts and Mika Brzezinski.