Together, let's Wear It Purple today
Wear It Purple Day is all about celebrating and supporting young LGBTQIA+ people, and challenging societal attitudes to help shape a better world for us all to live in. Together we can create supportive, safe, inclusive, and empowered environments for sex, sexuality and gender diverse young people (rainbow young people).
Here's how you can Wear It Purple today
Learn about pronouns
This Wear It Purple Day, our Respectful Relationships Unit have called upon the ANU community to learn more about pronouns.
To get you started, here's an awesome guide on misgendering and pronouns and a fact sheet on pronouns at ANU.
Learn about issues affecting LGBTQIA+ youth
It is important to do your research before you jump into action. Learn the histories, learn what has been done before, what has worked and what still needs to change.
Try not to turn to your LGBTQIA+ friends and peers, as it is not their role to explain these concepts to you, in fact, in can be a burden. Books, movies, articles and TV series are a great place to start.
Connect
Host a purple-themed gathering to celebrate, support and learn with your friends and family, peers or team.
Turn up the purple
Make sure you are equipped with everything you need to fill your day with purple and rainbows.
Wear your brightest and loudest purple outfit and share it using the hashtag #wearitpurple.
You can also pop up some:
Why purple?
The colour purple has been chosen as it is not a primary colour. This means it is a colour that takes on many other colours to mix to become what it is, purple. This idea embodies what Wear It Purple stands for - being made from a diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community and coming together to make something amazing.
The Acronym
What exactly is LGBTQIA+?
L is for LESBIAN (a woman who is sexually/romantically attracted to women)
G is for GAY (a man who is sexually/romantically attracted to men)
B is for BISEXUAL (someone who is sexually/romantically attracted to more than one gender)
T is for TRANSGENDER (a term used to describe someone who does not identify as their assigned gender at birth: may also refer to Trans, Transitioning, Trans Man and Trans Woman)
I is for INTERSEX (a blanket term people who are born with sexual characteristics that do not subscribe to one specific gender, such as physical characteristics).
Q is for QUEER AND QUESTIONING (Queer: a term reclaimed by the LGBTQIA+ community to represent their wider community and identify. Questioning: a person who is currently exploring their own sexuality).
A is for ASEXUAL (someone who shares no or limited sexual attraction to others, however may still engage with romantic interests).
The + ('plus') is used to signify all of the gender identities and sexual orientations that are not specifically covered by the other seven initials.
This is not a conclusive list of all genders/sexualities or their many varied descriptions for each, it is an overview of terms for educational purposes. We acknowledge and respect each unique person's right to label themselves as they choose.
What is an LGBTQIA+ ally, and how can I be a good one?
An ally is someone who stands up for, supports and encourages the people around them. It's a term that gets used a lot in the LGBTQIA+ community. In this case it refers to someone who is heterosexual and/or cisgender, but who tries to make the world a better place for people who identify as LGBTQIA+.
Being an ally means:
- supporting equal rights for everyone - regardless of race, sexual orientation, gender or religion
- doing what you can to call out discrimination and to fight for equality
- trying to make the world a better place for anyone who identifies as LGBTQIA+.
Keep reading Reach Out's guide to being an ally.
ANU Ally Network
Our ANU LGBTIQA+ Ally Network is made up of a group of staff and students across campus who are committed to providing an inclusive and respectful environment for people who identify as LGBTIQA+.
Don't forget, supporting the community isn't a one-day thing. Members of the LGBTQIA+ community don't just need your support this Friday - being an ally is a life-long commitment.
