In 2010, Pink Shirt Day is in its third year in Canada. Normally held in February, the organizers decided to wait until the completion of the Olympics/Paralympics in Vancouver to ensure maximum media attention on the cause. Though the idea originated in a small town in Eastern Canada, the concept spread across North America and around the globe.
Pink Shirt Day History in Canada
The idea was the brain child of two teenage students in Nova Scotia who took a stand against bullies in their school. CBC News, September 19, 2007, reported that David Shepherd and Travis Price, after hearing a student was called a homosexual and threatened for wearing pink, "went to a nearby discount store and bought 50 pink shirts, including tank tops, to wear to school the next day."
They got the word out online about their idea to wear pink in support of the student and to take a stand against the bullies, "I just figured enough was enough", Shepherd was quoted as saying. The next day hundreds of students showed up in pink clothing and little was heard from the bullies again.
What is Bullying?
One in four children are bullied in Canada; one in five children are the bully. Children are bullied for a variety reasons and the bullying takes on many different forms. According to BullyCanada.ca, all of the following constitute bullying:
- Punching, shoving or other physical violence;
- Spreading negative rumours about people;
- Deliberately excluding people from a group;
- Teasing people;
- Ganging up on people.
Bullying fits into one of four groups: Physical Bullying, Cyber Bullying, Social Bullying and Verbal Bullying. Bullying is not limited to the classrooms, hallways and playgrounds of schools. It can also be experienced in the workplace, after-school groups and other social settings.
The Effects of Bullying
In the April 4, 2010 article "Exposure Stops Bullies" on The Province, Lisa Bunnage says "Bullying is turning up in the news more than ever. Not just the bullying, but the consequences of bullying; the worst being 'bullycide'. That's the term used for kids/teens who commit suicide to escape the pain of bullying."
Nine teenagers in Massachusetts face a variety of charges from criminal harassment to statutory rape in the death of Phoebe Prince. Prince, 15, hanged herself in her family home after enduring months of bullying at her school. Marie Szaniszlo and Laura Crimaldi reported on the BostonHerald.com on April 2, 2010, that "an evil brood of cruel teens allegedly orchestrated a series of vicious attacks – carried out at times in front of school staff who failed to step in and protect her."
"Bullycide" is the most extreme result of bullying but youth can be affected in a variety of ways. The Government of Alberta, Children and Youth Services, note that bullied youth can suffer long term psychological and physical consequences. It is also stated that bullies have a higher incidence of dating aggression, sexual violence and criminal behaviour later in life.
Resources and Information Related to Bullying
Bunnage writes that "we should encourage children to report bullying to a trusted adult who has some power over the bully." She also strongly advises parents not to brush off reported bullying as a rite of passage. It sends the message that the victim is alone against the bully.
Nico Archambault, the Season One winner of So You Think You Can Dance Canada, was quoted as saying to have taken a stand against bullying. This was reported by Kathryn Greenaway on Vancouver Sun on November 14, 2009. Archambault said he was labelled gay and experienced homophobia simply because he was a dancer.
Archambault is the spokesperson for PREVNet.ca, a network of organizations and researchers that work to prevent bullying and promote healthy relationships. He tells youth to, "Remember that nothing is final. Your life evolves, scenery changes … and the people around you change."
Anyone one can participate in Pink Shirt Day by wearing pink clothing to work and school to show support for bullied youth and take a visible stand against those perpetrating the violence.
Lorah Delaney - Lorah is a native of Vancouver, British Columbia. She has a degree in Physical Education from the University of British Columbia and a ...
