Today my family and friends will gather to enjoy backyard games at picnics, carnivals rides, and evening fireworks. They will be sure to stress that we are not celebrating the ‘Fourth of July’, but Independence Day: the day in history when our nation’s forefathers declared the necessity for an independent nation, with freedoms for citizens which had yet to be seen. God Bless America!

I’ll be the first to admit, the Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays. I love to get caught up in the summer excitement. Amidst all the patriotic songs, however, I can’t help but notice the lurking heteronormativity in our celebrations: the uneasiness of the community about the public appearance of an interracial couple; the gawking eyes that find their way to those who have an androgynous gender expression. As a child these were things I had grown up with. Hearing others trying to guess the sex of the odd person in front of us in the funnel cake line seemed normal. As time has gone by, my college experience has opened my eyes to how harmful these sort of judgements can be. Yet, when I bring up my concerns with others from my home community, they often seem to find my concerns silly, or worse, an attack on their lifestyle.

Similarly, when I tell others about my experiences in lobbying lawmakers for LGBT rights, I’m at times met with accusations that my actions are unpatriotic in nature – that trying to change the current system is in someway ‘un-American’. Yet, the truth is, there is nothing more patriotic than taking an active role in working to move your country forward.

A democracy is only as fair and just as the people who participate in it. When we advocate in Harrisburg, we are demonstrating how much we love our nation and the desire to do everything in our power to make it even better. Through LGBT activism, we aspire to bring our nation closer to the ideals stated in the very pledge of allegiance: liberty and justice for all.

America has a rich history of activism. The concept is far from new to us, and began with our founders forming a nation in protest of the unfair policies of British rule. Our very country was founded by a group of activists.

In the 1960’s during the heart of the Civil Right’s Movement, advocates for racial and economic justice and their allies worked together, not just to end segregation but to affirm the principles we set down in our Constitution: “Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

When fighting against systematic oppression in the form of segregation, redistricting, and complex voter registration laws, these activists hoped to build a better America. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. declared on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. that his dream of a nation that fulfills its promise of inalienable rights was “a dream deeply rooted in the American dream”. Despite the sometimes hard and violent struggle, he was not working against America as the opposition thought, but for it in the purest of ideals.

As a student with a disability, I find the more recent fight for disability rights in America to be more relatable and empowering. Prior to the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, people with disabilities were segregated in the public school system in a way that had nothing to do with mental ability. It was common practice to institutionalize those with disabilities without reason. The disabled population was excluded from public spaces because of a lack of accessible accommodations and deemed not useful in the workplace, leading to social isolation, and economic difficulties.

Similar to the protests and sit-ins used in the 60’s, Americans with disabilities and their allies gathered in town halls and bombarded legislators with letters encouraging them not to deregulate businesses that found providing accessible facilities a hardship.

The inclusions that the ADA granted did not just make discrimination in regard to ability illegal, but granted these citizens dignity. Problems like unemployment and lack of education that faced Americans with disabilities were no longer seen as inevitable consequences of the individual’s disability. Instead, it was recognized that societal barriers and prejudices led to lower economic class. When these barriers are removed and legislators actively work against injustice, those with disabilities have been able to find a productive place in our society.

The thousands of citizens who worked to make this legislation law, did so in the hope of creating a more inclusive environment for all our citizens. By challenging the status quo and engaging their government, advocates were able to make changes that affect nearly every American who is likely to face a temporary disability at some point in life. They did so to better themselves and help those they loved. If any anger could be found in their voices, it was out of frustration and knowing that America could do better. Likewise, the recent and often passionate calls for LGBT equality are rooted in a love for friends and family who are being treated like second class citizens.

I appreciate the privilege I have as an American citizen and know that I am blessed to wake up each morning in the country that I do. I choose to use that privilege to ensure that on our soil, humans are treated with dignity and all citizens have equal protection under the law. One of the most patriotic things a citizen can do is to be actively engaged in their community and fight to have the principles of the constitution met to their fullest extent.

Occasionally while browsing the news, I find an article which is so ridiculous that I assume it’s from The Onion, or taken verbatim from a Colbert Report diatribe. A few web searches on the headline later, and I’m typically left shaking my head, still holding out on the slight glimmer of hope that it’s all a misunderstanding, and that no one would really ever find it acceptable to publish an article about the swamp creature-like horror of their girlfriend’s menstrual cycle, or dress up as racist caricatures of Hispanic men and post pictures of themselves on Facebook. But, alas, both of these events really did happen at Pennsylvania universities this week.

Temple University newspaper romance columnist John Corrigan penned what is sure to be a Pulitzer Prize winning article—as well as a solid recommendation to any future employer who Googles his name—on the delicate nature of the female menstrual cycle. Corrigan lovingly describes his girlfriend as waking him with a “lion’s roar,” and demanding 7-Eleven jalapeno taquitos, and sexual satisfaction longer than “a quickie.” The horror!

Although any man can sympathize with the crotch shots suffered on every episode of America’s Funniest Home Videos, imagine Sandshrew digging in your nether regions like the mini game in Pokemon Stadium.

Ouch. I’ll give you a moment to recover from that mental image.

The article then goes on to lament the plight of women everywhere, claiming that “Maybe Chaz Bono had the right idea,” because, obviously the only reason someone born biologically female would elect for gender reassignment surgery would be to escape the horror of their period. Uh huh.

While I don’t think Corrigan meant to touch on anything more than some “bro-humor” with his article, it’s an indication of how acceptable sexism still is within our society. Men are urged to duck and cover when their lady friend’s fragile emotional state utterly shatters with the addition of some extra hormones, and the thought of—gasp—actually spending some time watching a movie with their girlfriend is treated as some kind of Herculean sacrifice.

If you’d like to read his advice in full, it’s up on Temple-News, with a comment section that’s sure to provide you with at least a few minutes of entertainment.

In another prime example of how to utilize the internet to make sure you are never hired, Penn State University’s Chi Omega sorority chapter is facing public backlash after a picture from their “Fiesta” themed sorority social was posted on Facebook, with several members tagged. The picture in question is of multiple members of the sorority, dressed in sombrero hats and ponchos, with two members in the front of the group holding cardboard signs reading, “Will mow lawn for weed+beer,” and “I don’t cut grass I smoke it.” Penn State has not confirmed if the sorority will be facing any penalties for their actions.

The President of the Penn State chapter of Chi Omega gave a statement to the campus newspaper, The Daily Collegian, saying, “Our chapter of Chi Omega sincerely apologizes for portraying inappropriate and untrue stereotypes. The picture in question does not support any of Chi Omega’s values or reflect what the organization aspires to be.”

I find it rather disheartening that there is a need to clarify that Chi Omega’s values do not include racism. Once again, the fact that this sort of action can be justified as “humorous” says a lot about what we as a society find acceptable.

There’s no place in our communities for sexist and racist attitudes. Just because something looks like it might be funny at first glance doesn’t mean it really is. When prejudiced behavior is dismissed as humor, it becomes easier and easier for people to think that it’s acceptable. But, the truth is, it’s not okay to post yourself ranting about “women—am I right?”, or posting pictures on the internet claiming that Hispanics all smoke weed.

It sounds obvious, doesn’t it? Apparently, for some, it’s not.

Last Friday, thousands of students and adults donned purple in solidarity with LGBTQ youth who are bullied in school. While I support the effort to raise visibility of the violence we face in our schools – I struggle with the issue becoming a commodity. Allow me to coin a term:

Purplewashing: the act of branding anti-LGBTQ bullying as an issue to be professionally marketed.

The harassment faced by LGBTQ students (and youth perceived to be LGBTQ) is widespread. You know the statistics.

Spirit Day may be a red-letter way of showing unity in some communities. However, I urge LGBTQ advocates to approach the day with caution. The idea is spreading that trendy activities such as wearing purple could be standalone ways to combat bullying, rather than accepting ownership of systemic and institutional causes of school violence.

Spirit Day was created through grassroots efforts back in 2010. That autumn, the mainstream media took hold of the suicides of gay youth for the first time. These tragedies included the back-to-back deaths of Tyler Clementi, Seth Walsh, Raymond Chase, Asher Brown, William Lukas, Justin Aaberg, and others. It was a very sad time as the general public was learning about how frequent LGBTQ youth suicide is.

Our Pennsylvania LGBTQ youth network supported over 25 vigils that October, called Pennsylvania Night to Live, to remember the countless youth who had been driven to end their lives related to extreme bullying. Vigils, concerts, and memorial services were held in communities across the country. Later that month, the idea organically spread through social media and celebrities to wear purple for a day in solidarity against anti-LGBTQ bullying, which became a national event. The non-profit media organization GLAAD eventually won the bid to take the reins of the day now known as ‘Spirit Day.’

This year I began to notice the day being driven by adult service providers and adult-run organizations more than the past two years. The adults in many major LGBTQ non-profit organizations posted pictures online of their staff all in purple. I even saw Esurance in my Facebook mini-feed about the importance of wearing purple. It was viral.

These concerns are not new to visibility movements. In the early 1990s, the breast cancer awareness and prevention community was struggling. Women were experiencing barriers to treatment and social stigma.  They were mad and things needed to be done – and so they marched in protest. Great progress was made with healthcare providers and insurance companies, and we were finally able to see breast cancer prevention become a national conversation. The rallies changed over time. The marches became fundraising races and walks.

Over the past two decades, breast cancer awareness advocates have promoted pink to become a multi-million dollar advocacy industry. These efforts are truly important to raise critical funds for prevention and research for a cure. However, some critics claim the global pink ribbon culture has become a professional fundraising machine. Numerous articles, books, and documentaries have been made on how the pink marketplace may be more interested in funding sources than direct service. Breast Cancer Action’s Think Before You Pink campaign has been advocating for more fundraising transparency over the past decade. Indeed, we’ve seen what happens when so much pink power goes to one organization with Susan G. Komen’s disastrous decision (and reversal) to cut funding to Planned Parenthood earlier this year.

Cities from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia light up their skylines pink this month. Perhaps one day soon they will go purple too.

Our efforts for visibility must be tied with direct action. This year it was a struggle working with several partners to convince them that we must wear more than purple to change policies and combat hatred. Some folks may feel like they are “doing their part” just by wearing a color. It’s a start, but having courageous conversations and getting involved with advocacy for safer schools can more directly lead to the change we seek. Instead of organizing to wear a color, I would press LGBTQ advocates to be more angry that often too little is being done.

We must realize the potential ramifications of marketing anti-LGBTQ bullying as a topical issue. The serious plight of youth who suffer from anti-LGBTQ bullying can be easily glossed over with high-fashion fundraising events that fail to address intersectionality and privilege. My mind races thinking of the Purple Walks ahead of us.

“Suicide is now sexy”, is how I’ve heard a friend from New York City regard LGBTQ donor culture today – that more gay male socialites are tending to flock to cocktail parties for the Trevor Project over other groups. Yes, clearly that’s an endgame for social change, when anti-LGBTQ bullying organizations are securing penthouse floors for their Manhattan headquarters by hosting the hottest VIP fundraisers in town.

We need to be angry, because if not, we are complacent.

Join an organization in marching. Help run a community-wide forum on bullying at your local school. We should not believe that sending money at an issue, or wearing a color alone, will entirely shift a cultural stigma – especially when the issue is intricately linked to policy.

A lesson learned from last week: the bigots also went national on Spirit Day. The Illinois Family Institute flooded the East Aurora School District board of directors with emails to strip the protections they recently put in place for trans students. On Spirit Day they voted to remove those policies and discuss firing the staff who proposed them. Imagine, if everyone who wore purple wrote letters to school boards that day, maybe, more communities could preserve and advance protections for LGBTQ students. Absolutely, visibility is needed, but policies and action certainly help.

Before the swarm of non-profits start planning on how to go even more purple next year, let us think critically to ensure that LGBTQ youth and bullying is not just an issue to be bought, traded, or sold. We, the students, are the youth struggling with this violence. We are strong and resilient too.

Please, don’t take wearing purple as taking a final stand. Our boldest moves will come when national safe schools action is driven by the students ourselves.

Jason Landau Goodman is a student at the University of Pennsylvania and the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition. He can be reached at jgoodman@pennsec.org.