Today, on Pink Shirt Day, PSAC BC reaffirms our unwavering commitment to dignity, safety, and justice for 2SLGBTQIA+ people in our workplaces, in our schools, and in our communities.
Pink Shirt Day began in 2007 when a Grade 9 student in Nova Scotia was bullied for wearing a pink shirt, an act that was rooted in homophobia and rigid gender norms. In response to this homophobic bullying, his peers stood in solidarity, showing up the following school day dressed in pink t-shirts and sparking a movement that continues today across the country. We honour the origins of this day, and at the same time, we recognize the hard truth that queer, trans, two-spirit, and gender-diverse youth continue to face bullying that is persistent, targeted, and deeply harmful.
We know 2SLGBTQIA+ youth experience disproportionately high levels of discrimination, harassment, and violence. They face barriers in education, healthcare, housing, and employment that their heterosexual and cisgender peers do not. Online spaces have intensified this harm, allowing bullying to follow young people beyond classrooms and into every part of their lives. Bullying, including online harassment, has no place in our schools, our workplaces, or our communities.
And yet across Canada, several provincial governments have introduced or enacted policies aimed to reducing the rights of 2SLGBTQIA+ youth in schools, in accessing health care, and in community participation. One province has gone as far as invoking the Charter’s notwithstanding clause on their rights-impeding legislation to shield their actions from legal challenge. These measures raise serious concerns about safety, privacy, and fundamental rights, especially for youth without supportive homes. We believe young people deserve affirming environments built on trust, care, and respect.
Closer to home in British Columbia, we also recognize that many 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, workers, and families are feeling heightened anxiety amid rising harmful rhetoric in recent weeks. At this time, it’s important to recognize that words matter. Policies matter. The climate we create matters. Our communities and workplaces must remain safe and welcoming spaces where everyone belongs.
As a union grounded in social justice, PSAC BC stands in solidarity with 2SLGBTQIA+ members and communities today and every day. The labour movement knows that an injury to one is an injury to all. When queer and trans youth are targeted, we respond collectively. We organize. We advocate. We defend human rights. And we strengthen spaces rooted in care, equity, and belonging.
On Pink Shirt Day, we recommit to actively challenging bullying in every form, confronting misinformation and disinformation, and building environments where 2SLGBTQIA+ people are safe, supported, and connected.
To every 2SLGBTQIA+ person who may be struggling right now:
You are enough.
You are worthy.
You are not alone.
You belong here.
Solidarity is not seasonal; it is a commitment. And ours will not waver.
Jamey Mills, PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President, BC Region
Damir Moric , PSAC BC 2SLGBTQIA+ Coordinator