Wearing a pink shirt Feb. 28 a small gesture that makes a big difference

Pink Shirt Day is a day to celebrate and bring awareness to healthy relationships and to prevent bullying, within our schools, our homes, and our communities. The idea of a pink shirt came from two incredible Nova Scotia high school students in 2007, who witnessed another student being bullied because he was wearing a pink shirt. The two students who witnessed the event each went out to buy a pink Tshirt to show their support for this boy and others who may have been victims of bullying.

Since that day, Pink Shirt Day has caught on internationally with worldwide support and participation. Countries around the world have taken the initiative to organize anti-bullying campaigns of their own, including Japan, New Zealand, China, Panama, and numerous others. In fact, there were 180 countries that participated and shared their support through Pink Shirt Day last year through social media posts and donations. Pink Shirt Day was this week, and we hope it was able to raise even more awareness and support across the world.

Pink Shirt Day is only one day during the year, but bullying happens every day. This means that we all need to be aware of what bullying is, how it can happen, the types of bullying, and strategies to reduce the act. So, what is bullying? Bullying is a form of aggression that is associated with a power imbalance; this means that the person doing the bullying has power over the one being victimized.

The results of bullying include physical and emotional trauma (i.e. anxiety, low self-esteem, and depression). There are many types of bullying which include, physical bullying: physical force or aggression upon another person (i.e, hitting); verbal bullying: words to verbally attack someone (i.e. name-calling); social/relational bullying: hurting someone by excluding them, spreading rumours or ignoring them (i.e. gossiping); and cyberbullying: the use of electronic media to threaten, embarrass, intimidate, exclude someone, or damage one’s reputation (i.e, sending threatening text messages).

Discrimination and harassment are other types of bullying. This type of bullying happens when someone is treated poorly based on certain characteristics or differences. These differences can include age, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, family status, marital status, and physical and mental ability.

Bullying, harassment and discrimination can be detrimental to one’s mental and physical health. It is important that we work together to raise awareness and education to prevent these types of harmful behaviours from occurring.

If you or your child need support, please consider these resources: Call the Kids Help phone – 1-800-668-6868, TEXT ‘I am someone’ at 211 to talk, visit the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention website: www.suicideprevention.ca/need-help/, call the Cyber Tipline: 1-800-843-5678, call the Teenline: 1-855-HOPE or text TEEN to 839863, download the ‘Sit With Us’ app, or visit a Boys & Girls Clubs, Big Brothers Big Sisters, YMCA, YWCA, Canadian Red Cross, etc. There are many supports within communities for individuals to seek help or guidance from.

Together we can all make a difference on this important issue. If you weren’t able to show your support by wearing a pink shirt on Feb. 28, maybe you will remember to do so next year, and help raise awareness about bullying. If you did, then high-five!

More information can be found at www.pinktshirtday.ca/bullyingbasics.html and www.teenhealthandwellness.com/static/hotlines

Chloe McNamee is a health promotion facilitator with Alberta Health Services and can be reached by email at chloe.mcnamee@ahs.ca