Students wear pink to stop bullying against the LGBT community

Students at Westgate Collegiate and Vocational Institute were thinking pink on Wednesday afternoon.

Teens wore the colour in support of stopping bullying against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.

Daniel Voss said discrimination of any kind is unacceptable in the hallways, and he believes Pink Day, which originated a few years ago in Halifax, is starting to have an effect.

“Yeah, I definitely think it’s making a difference. Over the past few years people have become more knowledgeable and less ignorant, for lack of a better term, for inclusiveness and equality,” he said. “I think it’s a great thing for the community and as the years go by, more and more people are getting involved.”

The 16-year-old Voss said when he first joined the school’s Gay/Straight Alliance in Grade 9, there weren’t very many members.

That’s changed over the years.

“We now have close to 30 people now and that’s such a good thing for a high school GSA,” he said.

Fifteen-year-old Brooklyn Wilson said Think Pink Day is all about acceptance and welcoming everyone with open arms, no matter who they are.

It’s starting to catch on.

“I see a lot more people wearing pink and there’s a lot less bullying than there used to be,” she said. “It’s becoming a broader thing and more people are starting to accept it.”

Students sold cotton candy and popcorn in addition to donning pink clothing as further ways to raise awareness for the cause.

Pink Day was celebrated at several schools throughout Thunder Bay. -- With files from Jamie Smith