聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Pink Day began in 2007 when a young student was bullied in Berwick, Nova Scotia, for wearing a pink shirt. Two students in an older grade went out that evening and acquired 50 pink shirts, handing them out the next day at school. In a stand against bullying the two older students: David Shepherd and Travis Price helped start a movement that swept the country and has since spread internationally.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 This year for Pink Day, Arcola School welcomed Eddie Steele 鈥� a defensive lineman with the Saskatchewan Roughriders 鈥� to present Red Cross鈥� Pink Day presentation, while also using instances from when he grew up to explain why it鈥檚 important to be good to each other and the differences between bullying and joking around with friends.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e all face tough times in life, but it鈥檚 about how we respond to those tough times,鈥� Steele said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 He began the presentation by asking students to think about a group of three or four friends and what a healthy relationship between them looked like 鈥� laughing, smiling, sharing, joking around, etc鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲hen you see someone smile it makes you feel welcome, it makes you feel safe,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen I walked into this school I didn鈥檛 know anybody, but people smiled and welcomed me. It made me feel good.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Key words that Steele focused on regarding healthy relationships included respect, trust, communication, conflict resolution, fun, supportive, equal, safe, and respectful of each other鈥檚 boundaries.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Steele then spoke about bullying and how it is repeated, unwanted, aggressive behaviour involving some form of a power imbalance.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The different types of bullying include verbal, physical, social, and cyber bullying.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚f you鈥檙e being bullied you need to know it鈥檚 not your fault,鈥� Steele said. 鈥淏ullying is a learned behaviour.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲hen I was in school I wanted to be liked so badly that I鈥檇 make fun of others; I was self-conscious though. Looking back I can鈥檛 believe I had that kind of lack of respect for others. I teased kids so badly that they cried and as a 29-year-old man now looking back on that, I鈥檓 ashamed of it.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 When it comes to whether the banter between people is joking or bullying Steele told the students to check four things: is the joking going both ways, are both people having a good time, is this behaviour fun, and has anything happened between these people before?
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In the cyber bullying realm it becomes easier for bullies to say things that they may not otherwise say; thus, Steele brings to light four rules to think about before posting online.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Golden Rule 鈥� treat others how you want to be treated.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Trusted Adult 鈥� what would one of your trusted adults think if they knew that was what you wrote?
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Front Page 鈥� if that what you wrote appeared on the front page of a newspaper with your photo, would you be alright with what you said?
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Real World 鈥� would you say what you wrote in a face-to-face conversation with that person?
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淩espect is the most important,鈥� Steele added. 鈥淵ou can disagree or have a difference of opinion, but you don鈥檛 have to be rude about it. I play football and there are about 80 guys from all over 鈥� the locker room is kind of like school 鈥� they鈥檙e my teammates, just as you have classmates. I don鈥檛 like all of my teammates, we don鈥檛 all have to be best friends, but we do have to respect each other. We don鈥檛 always have to agree with each other, but we do have to respect each other鈥檚 opinions.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 When focused on ensuring respectful dialogue, Steele said that assertive communication 鈥� straightforward and respectful 鈥� is the key.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淵ou want to respond, but you don鈥檛 want to react,鈥� he added. 鈥淎 reaction is an impulse and it generally ends up worse for you in the long run. So, don鈥檛 blurt something out without thinking.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Stop. Think. Feel. Act.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he world is so exciting because everybody鈥檚 different,鈥� Steele said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Steele said that his reasons for partnering with Red Cross were related to his youth and how he was when he was younger, but also because of his 10-month-old son, Jackson.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲orking with the Red Cross there was an opportunity to reach so many people with this message. The Red Cross is wanting to reach every student with this message by 2019 in Saskatchewan and right now they鈥檙e well on their way to doing that. I also have a 10-month-old baby boy at home who drives me. I don鈥檛 want to have him go through that when he grows up.鈥�
