Pink Shirt Day 2023: Stamp Out Bullying & Boost Self-Esteem
Wear your pink with pride!
Pink Shirt Day is a national campaign raising awareness and support for programs that help foster healthy self-esteem. Held every third Wednesday in February, this year’s Pink Shirt Day takes place on February 22.
But how exactly did the day get started?
The Origins Of Pink Shirt Day
Pink Shirt Day was inspired by an act of kindness in small-town Nova Scotia back. In 2007, a boy in grade 9 got bullied for wearing a pink shirt. An older student saw what was happening and decided to do something about it. That night, he went to a discount store and bought 50 pink tank tops. The following day, he got 50 of his schoolmates to wear them.
The story was picked up and soon went viral. It has since inspired countless people and organizations across Canada to show off their pink pride.
Bullying Doesn’t Just Happen In Schools
Bullying happens in many different forms. It’s doing, saying, or acting in a way that hurts someone else or makes them feel bad on purpose. Some common kinds of bullying include:
- Verbal (name-calling)
- Physical (punching, pushing)
- Social (leaving someone out of a game or group on purpose)
- Extortion (stealing someone’s money or toys)
- Cyberbullying (using computers, the Internet, mobile phones, etc. to bully others)
Bullying is widespread in both elementary and secondary schools. Nearly 50% of Canadian parents have at least one child that has been a victim of bullying and approximately 1/3 of teenagers have been bullied recently. But bullying can happen anywhere. In fact, 40% of Canadians are bullied in the workplace every week.
For more information on bullying and where to turn for help visit Kids Help Phone or Public Safety Canada.
How To Show Your Support For Pink Shirt Day
Supporting Pink Shirt Day is as easy as grabbing a pink shirt out of your closet and throwing it on! If you don’t have one already, click here to pick up a “Rock The Pink Shirt” or “Kool To Be Kind” shirt for $25.
Not only will you be able to wear your new attire to support Pink Shirt Day, but the money raised supports the amazing work done by Shak’s World in Barrie! It’s a definite win-win!
Shak’s WorldIt’s all about empowering youth across Simcoe County. Check out Shak’s World on this episode of Movers + Makers, sponsored by Busch Systems . It’s a new community center in the heart of downtown Barrie that provides a safe space to grow and empower youth through sports, arts, and education.
Posted by Barrie 360 on Thursday, November 5, 2020
About Shak’s World
Shak’s World is a fully accessible community centre in downtown Barrie that offers a variety of recreational programs for all ages. Its focus is to give youth a safe space that promotes physical and mental wellness. Their brand new 13,000 square foot facility hosts a number of activities from arts and music programs to drop-in basketball.
Youth are also encouraged to use the centre to complete homework in their safe studies space. Or they can just drop in and use the gymnasium to stay active.
The staff at Shak’s World includes youth leaders, as well as Social Workers and Child Youth Workers who can help struggling youth deal with issues they might be having.
Pink has always been cool, but today, it’s the coolest colour of all.
