Wear It Purple Day: Creating Safe and Supportive Spaces for LGBTQIA+ Young People

Wear It Purple Day is an annual Australian initiative that promotes visibility, inclusion and support for LGBTQIA+ young people. It provides an opportunity for individuals, schools, workplaces and community organisations to come together to show LGBTQIA+ young people that they are seen, valued and supported.

At NLC Psychology, we participate in Wear It Purple Day because we believe that psychological wellbeing is supported by environments where people feel safe to be themselves, free from discrimination and accepted for who they are.

What is Wear It Purple Day?

Wear It Purple Day began in Australia in 2010 in response to concerns about the mental health and wellbeing of LGBTQIA+ young people. It has grown into a national movement that encourages people to celebrate diversity and demonstrate their support for LGBTQIA+ young people.

The day is not simply about wearing purple. It is about sending a message: you belong, you are valued, and you deserve to feel safe and supported.

For many LGBTQIA+ young people, having supportive people and environments around them can make an important difference to their psychological wellbeing. Wear It Purple Day helps create opportunities for conversations about inclusion, respect and acceptance.

Why does inclusion matter?

LGBTQIA+ young people may experience challenges that other young people do not, including discrimination, bullying, rejection or feeling unable to be open about who they are. These experiences can contribute to stress and can affect mental health and wellbeing.

Creating supportive environments can help reduce these additional pressures. Sometimes, seemingly small things can communicate a great deal: using someone's correct name and pronouns, avoiding assumptions about relationships or families, challenging discriminatory comments, or simply letting someone know that they are welcome.

Support does not require having all the answers. It can start with listening, being respectful and being willing to learn.

Why does NLC Psychology participate?

At NLC Psychology, we aim to create a therapy environment where people feel respected, accepted and able to bring their whole selves into the therapeutic space.

For LGBTQIA+ clients, this means providing a space where their identity is not treated as something that needs to be changed or "fixed". Our role is to support clients with the concerns that bring them to therapy while recognising the importance of identity, relationships, belonging and the broader environments in which people live.

Participating in Wear It Purple Day is one way we make our commitment to inclusion visible. It is also an opportunity for our team to reflect on how we can continue to create a welcoming and respectful environment for LGBTQIA+ clients, families and colleagues.

Other ways we support the LGBTQIA+ community

As part of our commitment to showing visible support for LGBTQIA+ young people, NLC Psychology also participates in the Rainbow Shoelace Project.

The project provides a simple way for people to show their support for LGBTQIA+ inclusion and create opportunities for conversations about acceptance and belonging.

We have free Rainbow Shoelace Project bead packs available at both of our NLC Psychology clinics. The packs can be used to create colourful shoelaces or other small displays of support.

If you're visiting one of our clinics, you're welcome to pick up a pack and get involved.

What can you do?

You don't need to be an expert or personally know someone who identifies as LGBTQIA+ to show your support.

You can:

• Listen without judgement.

• Respect the names and pronouns people use.

• Avoid making assumptions about someone's gender, sexuality or relationships.

• Speak up when you hear discriminatory or homophobic, biphobic or transphobic comments.

• Learn more about the experiences of LGBTQIA+ young people.

• Let the people around you know that they are welcome and accepted.

• Participate in initiatives such as Wear It Purple Day and the Rainbow Shoelace Project.

  
  

Most importantly, inclusion is not just something we demonstrate on one day of the year. Creating safe and supportive environments is an ongoing commitment.

At NLC Psychology, we are proud to wear purple and participate in the Rainbow Shoelace Project as visible reminders that LGBTQIA+ young people deserve to feel safe, respected, valued and supported, every day.

Wear It Purple Day is an opportunity to stand together, celebrate diversity and remind LGBTQIA+ young people: you belong.