The story of Pink Shirt Day
The global movement of Pink Shirt Day traces back to 2007 in Berwick Nova Scotia, a small town with a population of 2,500. After a new student at their school was bullied for wearing a pink shirt, two
Grade 12 students — David Shepherd and Travis Price — bought 50 pink shirts and encouraged their classmates to wear pink.
The next day they went to distribute the shirts and to their surprise the majority of students arrived wearing pink. With that act of kindness, Pink Shirt Day was born. It has since become a global movement.
In recognition of the Berwick event, Nova Scotia proclaimed the second Thursday of September “Stand Up Against Bullying Day.”
In 2008, B.C. proclaimed Feb. 22 to be the provincial anti-bullying day, and the movement has continued to grow.
In 2012, the United Nations declared May 4 as Anti-Bullying Day, and now the last Wednesday each February is Canada’s national Pink Shirt/anti-bullying day.
Many countries now recognize specific days for raising awareness about the prevention of bullying and promoting kindness and inclusion.
In Canada, many students have heard the Pink Shirt Day message from their first day of kindergarten through to their high school graduation.
Bullying can have serious and ongoing impacts on people’s mental health and wellbeing. Many studies that show that people who are bullied are more likely to experience mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety and even suicidal thoughts. As with any health condition, mental health problems can affect a person’s work and cause substantial costs to organizations.
Bullying is still a major problem in our schools, workplaces, homes, and over the internet. Many groups help raise awareness on these issues and provide funding to amazing anti-bullying initiatives that provide the tools needed to stand up against bullies and step in when we see it happening.
To spread awareness and celebrate lifting each other up, BGC Okanagan is holding fundraiser breakfast events at the Laurel Packinghouse in Kelowna and at Penticton Secondary School on Pink Shirt Day. Retired NHL player and author, Aaron Volpatti, will be the guest speaker. His inspirational talk is about perseverance having made it to the NHL after suffering horrific burns on 40% of his body after a campfire accident.