Pink Shirt Day: Wearing Anti Bullying Shirts

On February 22nd, you might come across the hashtags #PinkShirtDay or #PinkShirtPromise on social media. You might also run into a group of people wearing pink tops with the slogan “Make Nice” on them. These hashtags and slogans are part of an awareness day in Canada called Pink Shirt Day. This anti-bullying movement started at a Canadian high school in 2007. A Grade 9 boy had been bullied on the opening day of school for wearing a pink shirt, a color traditionally seen as feminine. Two boys and their friends organized a school protest in order to show solidarity with their peers. They bought and distributed pink anti-bullying shirts to all their male classmates.

When the boy who had been a target of bullying arrived at school and saw other male students wearing pink, his face lit up. That act of solidarity showed him and the other kids at school that bullying would not be tolerated. The movement eventually caught on in other Canadian provinces and beyond, morphing into a worldwide phenomenon. People celebrate Pink Shirt Day on the last Wednesday of every February. Additionally, these celebrations have expanded beyond just school bullying but also include workplace and cyberbullying.

Pink Shirt Day: How You Can Participate

You can participate in Pink Shirt Day whether you live in Canada or not. One way to join in the movement is to wear a pink top. Also, talk with the principal and teachers at your child's school to see how this anti-bullying day can be celebrated there. Nothing disarms bullies more than the realization that the people who participate in kindness and social good outnumber the people who don’t.

Pink Shirt Day activities can also take place at your workplaces or online. Anti-bullying awareness days are a means of showing others how harmful bullying is and what support networks are available. You can also join the movement by promoting kindness and empathy on social media. Use the hashtags #PinkShirtDay and #PinkShirtPromise online to bring awareness around cyberbullying.

Anti Bullying Shirts: Why Awareness Is Crucial 

Recent surveys show bullying is a major concern among parents. Bullying comes in many forms including physical violence, relational aggression, and cyberbullying. It tends to be more physical among boys and more verbal or passive aggressive among girls. However, the objective is the same – to make a target feel unwanted and worthless among their peers.

For years, people assumed that getting bullied was an inevitable rite of passage. However, bullying and cyberbullying can lead to physical harm and lasting emotional distress. Awareness is a powerful way to counter bullying and cyberbullying. It is why movements like Pink Shirt Day are so important. People who wear a pink top on February 22nd make a statement that they do not tolerate bullying of any kind.

This anti-bullying day is an important reminder to let children who are being bullied at school or online know they are not alone and that support and help are available. A simple action like wearing a pink top or sending a short tweet with the hashtag #PinkShirtDay can start conversations that go a long way toward helping and healing those who are targets of bullying and cyberbullying.

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