Pink Shirt Day -February 26th
With Kate Pinsonneault
Secure attachment when we are young and dependent on our parents is crucial for our development and our sense of security. Later, we develop attachments with friends who know us and accept us. Feeling that connection cultivates a sense of belonging and safety. But for those who struggle to fit in, who feel different, or who are ostracized, they can feel lonely, vulnerable, and unsafe. These are the kids who can become easy targets.
Bullying is very real and can happen to children, teens, adults and seniors. It can happen at home, school, online, work, and within institutions.
In February 2007, in a high school in Nova Scotia, two students, David Shepherd and Travis Price, noticed a younger student being bullied for wearing a pink shirt. The next day, they bought and distributed 50 pink shirts to classmates, encouraging them to wear them to show their support and acceptance of the bullied student. That simple act turned into an international movement. inspiring schools, workplaces, and communities worldwide to adopt “Pink Shirt Day.”
The last Wednesday in February is the day we remember the need to show those who those who are being unfairly treated that they are supported and are not alone. But we need to remember that bullying is not always loud or obvious. Sometimes, it’s the silence that hurts the most, the whispers behind someone’s back, the exclusion, an online comment. We’ve all seen it. So this Feb 26th, let’s not just wear our pink shirts, let’s commit to standing up against bullying in all forms and showing our support to those who are being bullied, harassed, put down or isolated. Let them know you see them, that you support them, and that they are not alone.
Let’s make every day a pink shirt day where kindness and standing up for each other is what we do. Kate