On Pink Shirt Day, Friday 20 May 2022, Aotearoa will be transformed into a sea of māwhero/pink as we stand together to spread aroha, celebrate diversity and end bullying!

Image source: pinkshirtday.org.nz

The Pink Shirt Day story

Celebrated annually around the globe, Pink Shirt Day began in Canada in 2007 when two students took a stand against homophobic bullying after a student was harassed for wearing pink.

In Aotearoa, Pink Shirt Day has been run by the Mental Health Foundation since 2012. They work to reduce the impact of bullying behaviour and the
harm it causes through campaigns, programmes, and resources.

The Mental Health Foundation resources help:
• Increase confidence and self-esteem for tamariki
• Build rainbow-inclusive and supportive schools, workplaces and communities
• Encourage people to be Upstanders, helping them to understand, recognise and respond to bullying behaviour
• Promote positive and respectful relationships in workplaces, schools and communities
• Strengthen resilience and mental wellbeing for all New Zealanders.

Each year in Aotearoa, thousands of schools, workplaces and organisations show their support and Kōrero Mai, Kōrero Atu, Mauri Tū, Mauri Ora – Speak Up, Stand Together, Stop Bullying!

Buy your Pink Shirt Day t-shirt

We know you’ll love this year’s beautiful design from Cotton On!
Buy a t-shirt to show your support, and promote them to your kura tuarua or school. 100% of net proceeds from t-shirt sales go to the Mental Health Foundation so we can raise awareness about bullying prevention, fund education workshops and supply thousands of free resources that promote inclusive workplaces, schools and communities. Available online and in selected stores from late April.

T-shirts are avalible to purchase from Cotton On, Cotton On Kids and Cotton On Body.

So why should you be part of the action?

Many studies show rangatahi who are bullied are more likely to experience mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.

This can impact on their learning, relationships and ability to feel good about who they are.

Bullying is a serious issue for rangatahi in Aotearoa.
Did you know:

Aotearoa has the third-highest rate of school bullying out of 36 OECD countries.

In New Zealand, 32% of students reported being bullied at least a few times a month, compared to 23% on average across OECD countries (OECD 2019).

High school students who had been bullied weekly or more often were four times more likely to experience significant depressive symptoms than students who had been bullied infrequently or not at all (Clark, Robinson, Crengle, Grant, Galbreath, & Sykora, (2009)).

The number of young people experiencing anxiety or depression has steadily increased in the past years (Ministry of Health, 2020).

By celebrating Pink Shirt Day, you’re showing that you have ZERO tolerance for bullying, and are helping to make Aotearoa a kinder, more inclusive place for everyone.

For more information on Pink Shirt Day, or to get more involved, visit the official website Here >

Discover how Westfield Riccarton works with the local community here >