It was Pink Shirt Day on February 28 and the BCIT campus was an ocean of pink. Many of those who came clad in pink came together for a group photo where they posed in the shape of a heart.
According to Pink Shirt Day, one in five kids is affected by bullying. Now much of this takes place online.
The 2018 focus is cyberbullying. The goal is to raise awareness, empower those who may be getting bullied and to use the Internet to spread kindness instead.
Social media and the Internet make it really easy for people to hide behind their keyboard or even anonymously bully others.
When I was in elementary school, we had an app on Facebook called “Honesty Box”. This was a tool that bullies used to hide who they were but also provided a way for them to say mean things. As I have gotten older and spoken to others about their experiences, the stories are overwhelming. The effects from bullying can be detrimental physically, mentally, and emotionally for years after it happens.
It is so important to stand up for anyone getting harassed or bullied, whether it’s online or in real life.
After talking to other students about Pink Shirt Day and what they think of it many had a similar point. Aaron Schulz from the Broadcast and Online Journalism program summed up the general feeling.
“I like the idea of it and it’s good to bring recognition to bullying but I think there needs to be a long-term solution so that after the day is over, things don’t go back to how they were before.”
What do you think we can do to stop bullies and spread more kindness? I would love to hear from you in the comments!
If you have been or are being bullied or want talk to someone here are some campus resources: