Raising the rainbow flag and dressing head to toe in purple, students of Vincentia High School were among the many celebrating Wear It Purple Day.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Wear It Purple Day is an annual LGBTIQA+ awareness day for young people based in Australia and this year's theme is Start The Conversation.
Holding information and awareness sessions throughout the week via zoom, Wellbeing Services Coordinator at Vincentia High School Joanne Warren said it was important for students of the LGBTQI+ community to feel celebrated.
"When I've spoken to students who identify in that community about what was important to them, they highlighted that celebrations were incredibly affirming for them," she said.
"They said it makes them feel as if they belong."
The students still celebrated Wear It Purple Day by wearing purple during today's Zoom classes.
According to research from LaTrobe University, 75 per cent of LGBTQI+ youth in Australia will be bullied because of their identity and 80 per cent will experience it at school.
Co-founder of Queers Down South Brodie Gray, who joined in on one of the school's information sessions, said it was because of these statistics that celebrating LGBTQI+ youth and raising awareness in schools is so important.
"Those statistics are just way too high and that's why visibility in schools is so important," she said.
"Days like today are only going to get louder and hopefully bullies will soon be in the minority."
We depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support.