Think Pink – Pink Day
Origin of Pink Day:
Pink Day started in 2007 when two Nova Scotia high school students decided to create a “Sea of Pink” to support of a grade 9 boy who was called homophobic names when he wore a pink shirt to school. The original day was a huge success with people at their school wearing all kinds of pink clothing, face painting, and even a pink bike! (For the original story go click here.)
Pink Day reminds kids that they can:
- Play with any toy or play any sport or game
- Play with children of any gender
- Wear any colour and style of clothes or hair
- Be who they are and help others to do the same
- Stop name-calling and discrimination and make a difference
Pink Day school activities:
- Create a “sea of pink” or have “rainbow clothes day.”
- Create a “tree of caring” using pink cut-out leaves for staff, students and their families to write kind messages on and attach.
- Give students the opportunity to share a message in the announcements (i.e. “If you here someone saying, “That’s so gay, tell them its not okay,” or, “If you here someone saying, “Girls can’t play soccer at recess or boys can’t wear pink,” tell them games, toys and colours are for everyone.”
- Ask students to lead an assembly to share the story of Pink Day and talk about how students can stop bullying and discrimination by being upstanders and allies (explain what action upstanders took on the original Pink Day in Nova Scotia).
- Sing VSB teacher, Lora Bird’s, “Rainbow” song in your classroom or at an assembly.
- Show a video and have a class discussion:
- Out in Schools’ Rise Against Homophobia contest videos ( 6 – 7)
- STAND UP against homophobia (6 – 7)
- Shh! Silence Helps Homophobia (6 – 7)
- Sticks and Stones (K-7)
- Apples and Oranges (3-7)
- That’s a Family (full film available at your school library)
- Organize a rainbow chalk-in (draw chalk rainbows and write Pink Day messages on school grounds).
- Distribute pink ribbons for students and staff to wear. At the end of day tie the ribbons together & display the ribbon chain as an anti-bullying reminder.
- Make pink day posters, banners, videos, pins and t-shirts.
- Organize a flashmob dance or march along city streets near your school.
- Invite intermediate students or your school’s leadership group to read a story or present a skit to primary classes about family diversity, gender stereotypes, name-calling and teasing, etc.
- Ask your librarian to display Pink Day books.
- Have a fundraiser to raise money for a LGBTTQ+ organization like Gab Youth.
- Contact a local secondary school GSA club about organizing a Pink Day event with your school.
- Have a celebration dance.
- Book a Pridespeak K-7 workshop from Gab Youth or Out in Schools 6-7 workshop.
- Organize an “I’ll hold your hand” action (see the video STAND UP against homophobia.
- Write positive messages on colourful post-it notes and put them on bathroom mirrors and doors.
- Host a parent info session on family diversity, gender stereotypes, gender diversity and/or discrimination and bullying. Contact VSB’s Anti-homophobia and Diversity Mentor at pride@vsb.bc.ca.
For more information contact Stephanie Lofquist, pride@vsb.bc.ca.