Rainbow Youth have teamed up with Mr Vintage to launch a special edition t-shirt for Pink Shirt Day, this Wednesday. The online retailer now is selling the t-shirts, which state "Don't push me push a push pop" and has offered a percentage of the sales to Rainbow Youth. Pink Shirt Day is an initiative to raise awareness of and stop bullying in schools, which was started in Canada when a group of students wore pink shirts to stand up for a peer who was being bullied. Director Tom Hamilton says Rainbow Youth intend to put the money raised from the Mr Vintage sales towards the 2011 Pink Shirt Day campaign and the development of resources to promote greater diversity in schools, which will stop homophobic and transphobic attitudes in educational institutes. "Keep your eye on the Mr Vintage website today for any updates to purchase this exciting new tee and possibly a piece of queer history." Rainbow Youth have also collaborated with the Mental Health Foundation to create badges which read "Bullying stops here". Hamilton says both items are unique to Pink Shirt Day 2010 and are highly collectable, as well as an opportunity to raise awareness about a issue that not only effects queer youth - but all youth. The badges will be available on April 28 outside the drop in centre, at 281 K' Rd Auckland, where staff and volunteers are going to be handing them out to those interested and supportive of the Pink Shirt Day initiative. Rainbow Youth is thanking Mr Vintage and the Mental Health Foundation for their support of Pink Shirt Day in Auckland, as well as the work done by SS4Q (Safety in Schools 4 Queers) in the continued development of the Pink Shirt Day concept. It says the day is an essential tool in raising awareness of bullying in schools. The shirts are on sale at www.mrvintage.co.nz
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 26th April 2010 - 1:05pm