It all started with two Nova Scotia high school boys in 2007. After seeing a boy in grade 9 being bullied for wearing a pink shirt to school, the boys stepped in and protested his harassment. They convinced dozens of classmates to wear pink in solidarity and soon the school rallied by their side by distributing pink shirts to all students. You can read about the original movement here.
February 25th has now become a national day to show support for caring, respectful, safe and inclusive communities. It’s the day that millions of people around the world stand together against bullying, discrimination, homophobia and transphobia.
Last week we saw our communities showing their support for Anti-Bullying Day (Pink Shirt Day) by wearing pink. We too were excited to don our rose-coloured clothing to celebrate this day. Here’s a collection of photos from the past couple of years where our programs, house residents, and staff got into the spirit!
Placing bullying in the limelight, even just for a day, can inspire people to make changes in their own personal life. While we’re proud to wear pink every year on February 25th, acceptance takes more than a one day event. Standing up to bullying in all of its forms throughout the year is important for the continuation of building inclusive communities.
One of the ways we can do this is through random acts of kindness. You may have heard about the success of the Random Acts of Kindness initiative that promotes random and compassionate acts to take place. Click here to see what one high school in Toronto is doing to spread positivity and fight bullying.
So why not challenge yourself to do something kind for someone each and every day? It’s amazing how one small act of kindness can not only brighten someone else’s day, but yours as well. If you’re in need of some ideas, check out this page to get inspired. Share your ideas with us on our Facebook page for a chance to win a pair of posAbilities t-shirts!
Let’s continue making communities more inclusive and welcoming for all!