Today is Pink Shirt Day, and not just because “Mean Girls” said so. The campaign, which was started by two high school students to show support for a fellow classmate who was being bullied, seeks to stand up against bullying not only in the classroom, but in all realms of life. Not only does it raise awareness of how serious a problem bullying has become, but it also provides tools for students, workers, and individuals alike to combat bullying and support each other.
Pretty awesome, right? The campaign was picked up by CKNW AM in Vancouver, which has helped it gain a large number of company sponsors and supporters around the world.
Proceeds raised by Pink Shirt Day are benefitting a number of fantastic organizations, many of whom are Canadian but some with an international scope.
We just have to #repost this awesome #pinkshirtday pic from @kidsphysio! What a cutie! He’s ready to make some noise tomorrow 🙂 #antibullying #bulldog A photo posted by Pink Shirt Day (@pinkshirtday) on
The importance of a campaign like this cannot be stressed enough. Bullying is a serious problem with serious consequences. It feels like every year we hear more and more unfortunate cases of people attempting or succeeding in taking their own lives because of bullying in the classroom and at home. To make matters worse, the Internet has given bullying a round-the-clock platform, and the pressure has become more than anyone of sound mind, much less children, can bear.
Needless to say, we support this effort, and hope to see wider participation next year in the U.S. and around the world.
