At Super Bowl, Antibullying PSAs Will Go On

Antibullying messages sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network will still be shown on the Jumbotron at Lucas Oil Stadium during the Super Bowl Sunday, despite right-wing activist Linda Harvey’s call to cancel them.

Harvey (pictured, left), president of the conservative Christian group Mission America, had written in her online newsletter that GLSEN’s ThinkB4YouSpeak campaign “seeks to instill the false idea that only by enthusiastically approving of homosexuality and gender confusion can we prevent bullying.” She urged her supporters to pressure Toronto-based Grazie Media, which owns the Jumbotron at the stadium in Indianapolis, to withdraw its offer of space for “this shameful message.”

Grazie has not given in, however, and GLSEN is asking that messages of thanks be sent to the firm; to do so, click here. The GLSEN public service announcements feature NBA player Grant Hill and comedian Wanda Sykes warning against saying something is “gay” to mean it’s stupid.

“Grazie Media has stood against the pressure, and we want them to know they did the right thing and have the strongest gratitude of GLSEN supporters,” reads an email from GLSEN. The company needs to hear from “fair-minded people” who “won’t tolerate organized anti-LGBT bigotry,” GLSEN officials add.

Watch the videos below.