Students take a stand against bullying

On Tuesday, October 18th, Trinity College School students were able to participate in a “Purple Shirt Day.” Students wore purple in support of Spirit Day (October 20th). Spirit Day was started last year after multiple suicides, at the end of September and beginning of October of 2010, by LGBTQ youth.

The non-uniform day was organized by the School’s GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance). As well as the non-uniform day for Spirit Day, the GSA put on a special morning chapel service in support of Ally Week, October 17th-21st. Ally Week is used to build upon the unifying work that GSAs do across the country by encouraging people to be allies against anti-LGBTQ name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. Spirit Day and Ally Week overlap because they both stand for the same cause: to end bullying of LGBTQ youth, but even more so to put an end to all bullying. The basis of the chapel was to relay that message to the student body and to educate the TCS community about how our actions can affect those around us.

The first GSA at TCS was created 10 years ago by one teacher and a group of straight students who were fed up with the bullying and harassment that gay students were experiencing. The GSA hoped to continue that legacy of leadership and changing attitudes through the anti-bullying chapel and non-uniform day.

- By Alex Jack, Grade 12 student