It’s Pink Shirt Day!
Pink Shirt Day is a day when people come together and wear pink shirts to school in solidarity of not tolerating bullying.
It began in Canada on the east coast in 2007, and since then it has become an internationally recognized campaign of support.
The very first Pink Shirt Day was born after a student in Nova Scotia was being bullied for wearing a pink shirt. Because of this, one of their peers decided to distribute pink shirts to their classmates as a way of standing up to bullying and making their classmate feel like they were important.
“Today marks the 16th anniversary of Pink Shirt Day, a day where we join together as a province to celebrate diversity, belonging and empowerment,” said Premier David Eby in a statement on the importance of the day.
“Our government is committed to ensuring that British Columbians of all backgrounds feel safe and respected. The well-being and safety of students and staff in our K-12 education system is a top priority.”
“We are committed to making sure our schools are places where children of all sexual orientations, gender identities (SOGI) and gender expressions, feel safe, accepted and respected.”
At Royal Bay Secondary School (RBSS) in Colwood, students who are part of the RBSS Dance Academy celebrated Pink Shirt Day with a little extra flourish.
Students planned and organized a ‘flash mob’ coordinated dance, and even included a few officers from West Shore RCMP in their routine.
“We all play a role in building communities where we lift each other up and stand together against bullying,” wrote Sooke School District (SD62) in a tweet of their own this morning.
“When we take time to celebrate our diversity and embrace our differences, we can create safe places where everyone feels a sense of belonging.”