What is Pink Shirt Day? A day dedicated to anti-bullying.
By Chad Polito
Special Collaboration
Now a movement celebrated across the globe, Pink Shirt Day, was inspired by an act of kindness in small-town Nova Scotia. “David Shepherd, Travis Price, and their teenage friends organized a high-school protest to wear pink in sympathy with a Grade 9 boy who was being bullied [for wearing a pink shirt] … [They] took a stand against bullying when they protested against the harassment of a new Grade 9 student by distributing pink T-shirts to all the boys in their school. ‘I learned that two people can come up with an idea, run with it, and it can do wonders,’ says Mr. Price, 17, who organized the pink protest. ‘Finally, someone stood up for a weaker kid.’ So, Mr. Shepherd and some other headed off to a discount store and bought 75 pink tank tops. They sent out message to schoolmates that night, and the next morning they hauled the shirts to school in a plastic bag.
As they stood in the foyer handing out the shirts, the bullied boy walked in. His face spoke volumes. ‘It looked like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders,’ Mr. Price recalled. The bullies were never heard from again.” — GLOBE & MAIL
Since then, the idea has only grown each year, with worldwide support and participation. In fact, last year alone, people in almost 180 countries shared their support of Pink Shirt Day through social media posts and donations.
Pink Shirt Day, which falls on the last Wednesday of February every year, will be celebrated on February 23, 2022. BGC Dawson will join hundreds of BGC clubs across the country celebrating this special day through the Sweeter Together Project, a partnership between BGC Canada and Hershey’s Canada. The goal of this multi-year project is to drive inclusivity and to create a sense of belonging for children across Canada. In 2022, Hershey’s is the official sponsor of a National Pink Shirt Day Activation for BGC Clubs across Canada. We are excited to grow this partnership for years to come because we know that ‘life is sweeter together’.
This Wednesday all children participating in BGC Dawson’s after-school program will receive pink shirts and participate in special activities where they will learn how to continue to stand against bullying and for kindness. This event is part of BGC Dawson’s ongoing commitment to inclusivity, kindness, and belonging beyond Pink Shirt Day.
For more info on Pink Shirt Day, please visit our website here !
