Building Inclusion and Allyship on Wear It Purple Day

Adelaide PHN turned purple for Wear It Purple Day, with our staff coming together to learn, reflect and show our support for LGBTQIA+ young people and communities.

This year's theme for Wear It Purple Day was Colours of Courage. From speaking up for inclusion to creating welcoming workplaces and communities, courage comes in many forms.

Colours of Courage recognises the bravery it takes to push for changes in schools, workplaces, communities and institutions where conversations about LGBTQIA+ lives don't always happen. It celebrates the allies who choose to snd up, speak out and ask what they can do to help create safer, more inclusive spaces.

Our staff had the opportunity to hear from Jingyi (sher/her) and Jesse (they/them) from Thorne Harbour Health, who shared insights into the important work they do supporting young LGBTQIA+ people in Adelaide.

Jingyi and Jesse explored the challenges many LGBTQIA+ people face, including discrimination, stigma and barriers to accessing support, and how these experiences can affect wellbeing and safety.

We were able to learn some practical ways to foster inclusion, from using correct names and pronouns to creating affirming environments, with the key message that respectful, proactive allyship can have a meaningful and potentially lifesaving impact.

Our guest speakers also shared why Wear It Purple Day is important to them.

"Today we wear purple to celebrate the strength, resilience and beauty of LGBTQIA+ people and to recommit ourselves to creating spaces where they don't just survive but truly thrive." Jingyi.

"Wear It Purple Day celebrates the diversity and humanity of LGBTQIA+ young people, whilst raising awareness of the discrimination they may face, to promote a culture of inclusion and care." Jesse.

The day provided an opportunity to deepend understanding, reflect on our role, and strengthen our commitment to creating safe, inclusive environments for both staff and the communities we serve.