Will you Wear it Purple on Friday 27 August?
Friday, 27 August, 2021, is Wear it Purple Day and the theme is “Start the Conversation and Keep it Going”. We would love to see our members show their support for LGBTQ+ youth by wearing something purple to work on 27 August, or using the official Wear it Purple background for your virtual meetings.
Wear it Purple Day is an opportunity for in-house counsel to use their position of influence to engage in advocacy in support of inclusion. Read on to learn about how you can get involved in Wear it Purple Day.
What is Wear it purple day?
Wear it Purple Day is held on the last Friday in August each year – this year being Friday 27th of August and the theme is “Start the Conversation and Keep it Going”. Last year’s theme was “We are the Change”.
The purpose of Wear It Purple Day is to “foster supportive, safe, empowering and inclusive environments for rainbow young people”. It was founded in 2010 by non-for-profit organisation Wear it Purple (WiP) in response to stories of teenagers around the globe taking their lives because of bullying and harassment resulting from a lack of acceptance about their sexual or gender identity. Since then, it has grown to be a day dedicated to spreading the global message: everybody has the right to be proud of who they are.
Why should I wear purple?
According to WiP, 75% of LGBTIQ youth experience some form of discrimination, 61% experience verbal abuse, 19% experience physical bullying.
WiP invites you to take a stand against harassment and bullying that young rainbow people still face.
Wearing purple on Friday, 27 August, is a simple way to show that you are an ally and sends a vital message of support to LGBTQ+ youth (and their parents).
Be part of a movement that has the potential to save thousands of lives.
How can I get involved?
Simply wear purple and if you can apply a background to your virtual meetings, download the WiP Zoom background and other social collateral from their website to show your support for Wear It Purple Day.
If you don’t own anything purple, check out the great range of purple merchandise on the WiP online store including purple tees, caps, lanyards and other wearables for children, adults and even pets!
It’s also not too late to organise a (covid-safe) event at your workplace. Big or small, in person or online, hosting a Wear it Purple Day event provides an opportunity to engage in education and you can raise funds to donate to WiP’s work supporting LGBTQ+ youth. Check out the WiP website for guides and details to register your event.
We’d love to see how the in-house community marks this day of inclusion – share your pics on LinkedIn and tag ACC Australia (to tag ACC Australia, please type in the full name, Association of Corporate Counsel Australia).
Where can I learn more?
Wear it Purple have a wealth of educational resources on their website: www.wearitpurple.org
You don’t need to be LGBT to wear purple or organise an event for WiP Day. Your involvement is not a reflection of your sexuality.
Finally, you don’t need to be an expert on all things LGBTQ+ to be an ally. If you don’t know what the acronyms used in this article mean, educate yourself. Your support as an ally cannot be underestimated.
Article by: Lisa Wright, member of ACC Australia Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Special Interest Group
ACC Australia is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive in-house profession and has created the Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) Special Interest Group. If you are interested in participating in the special interest group or contributing ideas, please contact t.henderson@accglobal.com.