Wynonna Earp fans recently applied their “polite no chill” approach to LGBTQIA fundraising, raising more than $12,000 during their 2017 GLAAD Spirit Day drive. Spirit Day is held every year to show visible support for LGBTQIA youth and stand against bullying.
The drive was organized by Bridget Liszewski, editor-in-chief of The TV Junkies, and Bonnie Ferrar and Kevin Bachelder, who host the Tales of the Black Badge podcast together. They initially aimed to raise around $1500 – but with the enthusiasm of the fandom and support from the show’s writers, they far exceeded their expectations.
One more #SpiritDay campaign update: we officially hit $12,000 for @glaad! Thanks again to all who helped! 💜 https://t.co/fe184zuJXj pic.twitter.com/my9Ymbuk8b
— Bridget Liszewski (@BridgetOnTV) October 22, 2017
Bachelder, Ferrar, and Liszewski offered up a number of prizes, and the writers’ room also chipped in with the offer to name a Season 3 character after one randomly selected fan who donated if the campaign reached $5,000.
Wynonna Earp has a super-dedicated fandom with a huge LGBTQIA following, thanks in no small part to the #Wayhaught relationship between Waverly Earp and Officer Nicole Haught. Waves and Nicole get to be the romantic center of the show, with all the cutesy moments, ups-and-downs, and hot hookup scenes that entails, in a way that most shows reserve for their heterosexual couples. Given how perfectly Wayhaught highlights the importance and meaning of queer representation on TV, I’m not at all surprised that Earpers showed up in droves for GLAAD fundraiser.
In a statement to SYFY Wire, Bachelder, Ferrar, and Liszewski explained how they wanted “to use the power of fandom for good” with their drive. “Wynonna Earp fans pride ourselves on using our collective ‘polite no chill’ for good,” they said, “and a campaign against bullying seemed like an ideal candidate for that. Inclusivity and kindness are some of the core Earper values, and given that many Wynonna Earp fans are also a part of the LGBTQ community, we undertook this Spirit Day campaign hoping to raise a few dollars for a cause many could relate to.”
“We are so thankful to be a part of a fandom that realizes the power of being kind, compassionate and generous. Earpers continually prove to be a bright spot and show how kindness is not only contagious, but it can make this world a better place.”
(Via SYFY Wire; image via IDW Entertainment and Dynamic Television and edited purple by Marykate)
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Published: Oct 25, 2017 04:37 pm