Do you have your Pink Shirt ready?

Pink Shirt Day - Wednesday, Feb 22nd

As February begins, we are reminded that Pink Shirt Day on Feb 22, is right around the corner. As 9 out of 10 LGBTQ2S+ students have reported being harassed or bullied, bullying is a big problem LGBTQ2S+ youth go through.  Pink Shirt Day is a reminder to stand against bullying.

What is Pink Shirt Day? 

Pink Shirt Day, or Anti-Bullying Day, is on February 22nd and it’s a day all about kindness, inclusion, unity and compassion. It’s a day for people to come together by wearing pink shirts to school or work to show that they are against bullying. 

How did Pink Shirt Day Start? 

Pink Shirt Day started in 2007 in Nova Scotia when two grade 12 students, David Shepherd and Travis Price, saw a grade 9 student getting bullied for wearing a pink shirt to school. 

They were so upset when they saw what was happening that they decided to do something about it. So the next day, they bought 50 pink shirts and handed them out to the other students to wear. 

By the end of the week, most of the other students were wearing pink shirts to show their support to the student who was bullied. 

This act of kindness spread and today it has become a national day of anti-bullying across Canada and around the world. 

What can you do to help? 

On February 22nd, wear a pink shirt to your school or office to show that you stand against bullying. 

Other things you can do to deal with bullying

If you’re being bullied: 

  • Tell an adult you trust 

  • Tell the bully to stop 

  • Start a GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) Club at your school 

  • Do nothing and walk away 

  • For cyberbullying:

    • Don’t respond to online comments/chats

    • Take screenshots and show them to a trusted adult

    • Delete social accounts where you’re being bullied 

If you see someone getting bullied: 

  • Talk to the person being bullied

  • Talk to an adult you trust

  • Help start a GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) Club at your school 

  • Stand up for the person getting bullied

If your child is being bullied: 

  • Listen, reassure and support them

  • Teach them responses to deal with bullies 

  • Call up the teacher / principal 

  • Find your child a counsellor 

  • For cyberbullying:

    • Collect evidence (screenshots, recordings, videos, etc.)

    • Block the bully across your kid’s social media platforms 

    • Content the social media or app directly 

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