• by Sara Guaglione , June 6, 2019

Wattpad, a user-generated storytelling platform, has teamed up with T-Mobile on a write-a-thon to celebrate Pride Month this June.

The month-long campaign encourages Wattpad users to write stories about a political or personal moment that changed their lives as a LGBTQ+ individual or ally.

For each Wattpad story uploaded and tagged #UnlimitedPride, T-Mobile will donate $1 to GLSEN, an organization working to end the discrimination, harassment and bullying of LGBTQ+ kids in schools. 

T-Mobile will donate up to $10,000.

“Through this campaign with T-Mobile, we will continue to elevate LGBTQ+ storytelling, champion diverse characters in literature and celebrate love in all of its many forms,” stated Chris Stefanyk, head of brand partnerships at Wattpad.

Wattpad has a robust LGBTQ+ community. The platform says it has seen an 18% growth in reading time for stories tagged with phrases like #Transgender, #Agender, #Genderfluid and #Nonbinary in recent years.

In 2018, reading times for these stories reached 32 million minutes.

The Pride write-a-thon is inspired by the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots that began in New York City’s Greenwich Village and ignited the gay-rights movement.

Wattpad partnered with the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) for last year’s Pride. $10,000 was donated to the organization

Wattpad has worked with brands like AT&T, Lionsgate, National Geographic and Ben & Jerry’s.

T-Mobile is the presenting sponsor for the first U.S.-based WorldPride parade in New York City on June 30. The company is also participating in over 60 other Pride events throughout the year.