Today isn't just a Friday - it's ‘Wear It Purple’ Day.
The inclusive nationwide initiative - which began in 2010 as a small-scale social media campaign - provides an opportunity for Australians to show solidarity with LGBTIQ+ young people at their school, university or workplace—and the day is only getting bigger.
Back in 2015, 121 businesses, 193 schools and 21 universities and colleges took part in the program – a number which has been eclipsed year-after-year since.
“Each and every year the Wear it Purple Day campaign experiences exponential growth, which is an incredibly promising and exciting thing not only for the organisation itself, but for everyone; that growth symbolises a growing number of schools, workplaces and environments that are identifying themselves as safe and supportive environments for their rainbow identifying individuals,” Naomi Graham from Wear It Purple previously told SBS Pride.
“From its inception in 2010 as a smaller, social-media based campaign, we’re now set to have over 70,000 people wearing it Purple nationally to show rainbow people everywhere that they have the right to be proud of who they are, and that diversity is something to be celebrated.”
Graham said that the growing levels of participation reflect an underlying movement towards acceptance and inclusion in schools, workplaces and society in general. It’s a sign that, despite ongoing challenges, we’re moving steadily in the right direction.
“When you have such an incredible amount of support behind a campaign like Wear it Purple Day, which is all about celebrating diversity and standing proud, it's an indication that this message of support and acceptance is something all individuals can support, because nobody should feel unsafe in their own environments to be who they truly are.”
Today’s sea of purple is a reminder that no young person is alone.
“At its core, irrespective of the political context, Wear it Purple Day is about supporting rainbow people to feel accepted and empowered in themselves,” Graham said. “It is a day of celebration, and by wearing purple, all those participating are showing rainbow individuals around them that they're supported, accepted and celebrated.”
“It's a cause that always has been, and always will be an important one, because whichever way you look at it, everyone truly does have the right to be proud of who they are, and seeing an overt demonstration of support and acceptance is an incredibly powerful thing for the community.”
Graham emphasised that the amount of support shown for Wear It Purple Day is testament to the untapped potential of the small organisation.
“As the years go on, it's our hope that we can increase our reach nationally, especially in more regional and rural areas, and build a really strong network,” she told SBS Pride.
“We would love to see more young people involved in the running of the organisation and getting involved with our youth action council and executive committee; to get more ambassadors on board to spread the message of pride and acceptance even further; and to continue to make a difference in the lives of others.”
“If days like today can bring a smile to someone's face, a sense of happiness and joy, and a feeling of support, then we know that Wear it Purple is achieving its vision, working towards a society in which all rainbow people can be themselves, no matter how they identify, and that that's something to be celebrated.”
Regardless of your political leanings, Wear It Purple has long proven itself as a day of strength, unity, and - of course - colour, for all young Australians.
Happy Wear It Purple day, everyone! We can’t wait to see the photos.
