Wear It Purple 2025
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 130 No 6, 5 September 2025, page no 30.
29 August was Wear It Purple Day, an annual celebration of LGBTQIA+ youth that promotes inclusivity, acceptance and visibility. This year the theme was Bold Voices, Bright Futures.
Along with government agencies and private businesses, schools across the nation marked this important day, celebrating in many and varied ways, including:
- free dress to wear purple
- discussing WIP on parade
- flying the Pride flag
- integrating WIP information into wellbeing lessons
- cupcakes
- library displays
- celebratory events before and after school and at break times
- rainbow beading
- wrist bands, stickers and temporary tattoos
- promotion in the school calendar and social media.
Celebrating Wear It Purple is one way that schools can foster a safe and inclusive learning environment for LGBTQIA+ students.
The Queensland Government (https://www.forgov.qld.gov.au/news-events-and-projects/events/wear-it-purple-day) encourages participation, stating:
“Wear It Purple day was founded in 2010 in response to global stories of young LGBTIQ+ community members, their struggles, and sadly for some, the loss of life following bullying and harassment resulting from the lack of acceptance of their sexuality of gender identity.
“Wear it Purple Day is a chance for Queensland Government employees to advocate for and empower LGBTIQ+ young people, create and promote the power of diversity and inclusion, raise awareness and challenge harmful social cultures and champion rainbow-role models to help young people establish the confidence to be who they are.”
Department of Education support
Visibility is especially important for students who do not have supportive families. In such cases, support at school can be life-changing and life-saving.
The Department of Education supports inclusion and acceptance for all students. Marking Wear It Purple Day is one way that inclusion is demonstrated. Activities for LGBTIQ+ celebrations such as Wear It Purple, IDAHOBIT and Pride Month are encouraged by the DoE (https://education.qld.gov.au/student/Documents/diversity-student-fact-sheet.pdf).
Sadly, for some school communities it can also feel risky, with fears of community backlash. The employer recognises the importance of this work, and schools do not need to navigate this alone. The department has a specialist team — the LGBTQIA+ Student Inclusion Team — who are experts in assisting schools to support their LGBTQIA+ students, while being sensitive to each school’s unique context.
Whether it is staff PD, questions about camp or establishing a rainbow club, this specialist team can assist.
Contact LGBTIQStudentInclusion@qed.qld.gov.au with any questions, and visit Supporting LGBTIQ+ students for more information.
Professional development opportunities are advertised via EFI and ConnectEd.
2026 Wear It Purple
If your school wasn’t involved in Wear It Purple this year, get involved next time. It is celebrated on the last Friday in August each year.
Free merch is available on the Wear It Purple website (https://www.wearitpurple.org/schools) along with resources to support your school’s event.