If you grew up in Canada, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve heard of Pink Shirt Day (PSD). Recognized each year on the last Wednesday of February, Pink Shirt Day is an anti-bullying campaign developed in 2007. And this year, you can observe the occasion on February 28th. I might be bringing up some distant memories from elementary school here, but maybe you’ve even celebrated it; if you were told to wear a pink shirt to school, it was mostly likely in recognition of PSD. And while it’s more commonly celebrated by young students (a crucial time to learn about bullying), the anti-bullying message retains its significance regardless of age.
Why Pink?
The original event was organized by high school students in Nova Scotia to stick up for a new student after bullies teased him for wearing a pink shirt to school. David Shepherd and Travis Price rallied together to protest their classmate’s mistreatment by giving out over 50 pink tank tops to other male students.
PSD is a recognized event in Canada and, interestingly, New Zealand—they started celebrating it in 2009, a couple of years after its inception. The WITS Programs Foundation (a Canadian charity organization) hosts an interactive online performance for school classrooms targeted at kindergarten through twelfth-grade students. PSD is less of a formal event and more of a means to raise awareness and educate school-age children about respecting others and taking a stand against bullying.
Past and Present
It’s interesting to look back on how this campaign came to be. Nowadays, a student is unlikely to be bullied for wearing a certain colour. In 2024, people in Canada have a lot more freedom to dress however they choose (at least, compared to 2007). A lot can change in 16 years!
Although, things aren’t exactly perfect now.
Just because students may not be experiencing the same type of harassment, that doesn’t mean bullying isn’t as prominent of an issue. The classic playground bully has taken on a sinister new form—the cyberbully. It is not necessarily a new phenomenon, but kids have never been more online than now. It’s been a good while since I was an elementary school student, so I can’t speak on the current state of affairs, but I do have some not-so-great memories of kids being harassed online via Instagram in middle school. It’s unfortunate, but bullying will never truly be eradicated. Therefore, campaigns like Pink Shirt Day are more important than ever. Educating young kids about the value of treating others with kindness, empathy, and respect is critical to establishing inclusive learning environments for everyone.
Above and Beyond
If you’re interested in going a step further and contributing to the cause, you can make donations to the CKNW Kids’ Fund through the official Pink Shirt Day website. The money goes to a wide variety of organizations that work towards supporting Canadian youth. Don’t forget to wear pink on February 28th to show your support!
