Pink Shirt Day: Speak up and stop bullying
Join the Pink Shirt Day movement on Friday 16th May 2025 to stop bullying. Speak Up, Stand Together, Stop Bullying – Kōrero Mai, Kōrero Atu, Mauri Tū, Mauri Ora!
Pink Shirt Day is an anti-bullying campaign committed to creating a kinder, more inclusive Aotearoa where everyone feels safe, valued, and respected – regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, religion or cultural background. By taking part you’re showing your aroha and will help stamp out bullying by celebrating diversity and promoting kindness and inclusion.
Each year workplaces, schools, organisations and individuals join the movement to make a stand against bullying.
The Mental Health Foundation is committed to upskilling everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand to be Everyday Upstanders – people who call bullying out when they see it and support those who are being bullied.
Bullying is a serious issue in New Zealand. Every year, one in five workers report they have been bullied at work, and Aotearoa has the third-highest rate of school bullying out of 36 OECD countries. People who identify as part of the rainbow community experience higher rates of bullying, and studies show people who are bullied are more likely to experience mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety and even suicidal thoughts.
That’s why it’s so important to be equipped to deal with bullying – no matter who we are. To know how to identify it and do something about it.
How you can get involved with Pink Shirt Day
Learn how to join the Pink Shirt movement as an individual or for your school or workplace.
The Pink Shirt Day website has lots of great ideas and ways you can show your support including:
- posters or email signatures you can download; and
- resources and merchandise that you can order.
Some facts about bullying
It isn’t rare to hear someone say something insensitive or mean to someone else. These comments or actions are not okay. However bullying has some specific features that make it more serious and harmful:
- It is deliberate – harming another person intentionally;
- It involves a misuse of power in a relationship;
- It is usually repeated, or has the potential to be repeated over time; and
- It involves behaviour that can cause harm – it is not a normal part of growing up.
Bullying can be:
- physical – hitting, tripping up;
- verbal – insults, threats;
- social – spreading gossip or excluding people; or
- cyberbullying – bullying online, via the internet, mobile phones and social media. It’s a common form of bullying, especially amongst young people.
Bullying harms the person being bullied, the person doing the bullying and can also harm those who witness it (bystanders).
People are more likely to be bullied if they seem different from others. This can include being clever or popular, differences in race, sexuality, gender identity, ethnicity, religion, disabilities and abilities, weight or height.
It’s really important to remind people that it’s okay to be different from others and it’s not okay to bully people because they are not the same as you.
Source: Pink Shirt Day website.
Published on Wednesday, April 30th, 2025, under Events