There may not be big Pink Shirt Day gatherings to celebrate kindness and anti-bullying, but several Okanagan students wanted to keep the day in mind and share their thoughts on what the event stands for.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions are still in place on in-person gatherings but that doesn鈥檛 mean that young people will forget to celebrate kindness.
Aidan Angell-Janfield said everyone deserves a level of respect, but what鈥檚 important is to try to go above that to be kind.
鈥淔or me, basic respect is not being rude to (people), respecting their boundaries, respecting pronouns, things like that,鈥� he said.
鈥淏ut being kind to me is going beyond that just because you can. Not because you have to, but because it鈥檚 easy and it doesn鈥檛 cost anything.鈥�
Daniel Landrecht has seen many instances of bullying and says it鈥檚 always horrible to witness.
鈥淚t鈥檚 terrible and we should tell them not to do that anymore because it鈥檚 not necessary. I鈥檝e learned about so many things happening in the world right now and it鈥檚 all horrible, and now more than ever it鈥檚 important to be kind,鈥� he said.
Plain and simple, you never know what a person is going through, is what Brandon Viguers believes, which is why there is always value in showing kindness.
For Quin Cafazzo, it鈥檚 important to show you care because it can be a lonely journey.
鈥淥thers who also care may feel like there鈥檚 not a lot of others like them. Sometimes you just feel alone in being kind, so it makes it hard to be kind,鈥� they said.
Not only on Pink Shirt Day but all days, these students are taking steps to watch out for one another and stand up for those who are facing situations of bullying.
鈥淚f you see someone getting bullied, it might be hard for that person getting bullied to stand up for themselves or ask for help, so going out of your way to help or stand up for them, I think that鈥檚 important,鈥� they said.
鈥淚 feel like there鈥檚 a lot of people in this world who aren鈥檛 cared about and the more you can spread (kindness), the better.鈥�
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