 In 2014, Laverne Cox, a transgender actress and activist, went to New York City and hosted an event in which she helped turn the lights on that were strung on the Empire State Building.In support for Spirit Day, she said, “All of our children need to feel safe to be themselves at home, school and in our communities.”

The name "Spirit Day" comes from the purple stripe of the Rainbow flag, whose creator Gilbert Baker defined it as "representing 'spirit'".In December 2010, COC Nederland named the second Friday of December ""Paarse Vrijdag"" (Purple Friday).