Now in its fifth year, Wear It Purple Day exists to show young people that they are not alone, that they have support and should be proud of who they are.
A youth-led organisation, Wear It Purple exists to support and empower rainbow (i.e. sexuality and gender diverse) young people. They are young people, working for young people, and believe that every young person is unique, important and worthy of love, and that no one should be subject to bullying, belittlement or invalidation: whoever you are.
Not all rainbow young people have strong support bases, with many facing bullying, rejection and discrimination from families, friends and the community at large. Our young people are often left feeling very much alone.
Combined with the challenge of coming to terms with one’s own sexuality and gender identity with the fact that rainbow young people are among the highest bullied demographics in high schools, rainbow young people do not have an easy ride.
This year, Wear it Purple Day will be the biggest yet with more than 100,000 people registered to participate. This include over 200 groups consisting of 130 schools, 26 workplaces, 25 tertiary institutions and 22 community organisations. Show your support and wear something purple or buy a wristband from one of the many hubs situated all over the country.
The 2014 Wear It Purple Day takes place on Friday 29 August. For more information, visit: www.wearitpurple.org for details.
Image: Participants at a Wear It Purple event