Flying Pride Flag for Wear It Purple Day

Wear it Purple Day, held annually on Friday 26 August, strives to foster supportive, safe, empowering, and inclusive environments for LGBTIQ+ young people.

Bass Coast Shire Council is proud to fly the Pride flag at the Civic Centre in Wonthaggi today, to demonstrate our commitment to creating a community that embraces inclusiveness and equality for all.

Wear It Purple Day was founded in 2010 in response to global stories of real teenagers, real heart ache and their very real experiences of bullying and harassment about their gender identity and sexuality.

This year’s theme is ‘Still Me, Still Human’. In partnership with our community, Council strives to foster supportive, safe, empowering and inclusive environments for all.

In addition to raising the flag on this day, Council works with local networks, including the South Coast Inclusion Network (SCIN), the YES Youth Hub, our own Youth Advisory Committee and local health and community service providers to build LBGTIQIA+ inclusion, and promote acceptance of diversity across our services and communities.

Bass Coast Shire Mayor, Cr Michael Whelan, said that raising the pride flag is just one small way we can demonstrate solidarity with our LGBTQIA+ friends, family, colleagues and community.

“While we have come a long way, there is still more we can do to ensure that all people live without discrimination and that there is a place for them in our community to feel safe, included and empowered.”, Cr Whelan said.

“It is so important that we continue to collaborate and unite with other organisations to further the inclusion of rainbow young people in our community.”

“To our rainbow young people, we see you, we accept you, you belong” Cr Whelan said.

/Public Release. View in full here.