PINK The Collection, was born from my want to create the perfect “pink” t-shirt to have for PINK SHIRT DAY.
“Why PINK” you ask?
PINK represents so much for me as a queer man. I was also bullied by classmates and teachers when I wore a “pink” sweater to junior high school. I could identify with the origin of PINK SHIRT DAY. Except back then I didn’t have any cool friends to stand up for me, but now it is my chance to stand up for others.
(You may read up on the history of PINK SHIRT DAY here)
I had more ideas like; other colours, other “t-shirt days”, the ribbons we already wear for causes, other fund-raiser events?
I wanted to create a design that would be unlike the collection of t-shirts I had accumulated from all those events I just described above. The collection of “one time use” t-shirts filling up your drawers and closets was not something I wanted a TURNIP TEEZ T-shirt to ever be a part of. Especially, a PINK Collection t-shirt.
The goal was simple really. Create intrigue without being vain. Let the obvious speak for itself.
Thinking more I felt that the focus needed to be on the colour. A “focus” that could unite us all, through our similarities, in our differences, in moments of triumph and even in times of pain and struggle. For ages humans have chosen colour to represent that which is to unify us in action.
Building on that as an opportunity to create a moment of intrigue for those that had not met “PINK THE COLLECTION” yet. A chance perhaps for questions to be asked. A passion to be shared.
This was an opportunity to create a design that would be easily recognizable among those that are familiar with PINK.
Imagine standing on the platform of a train station in another country (I said imagine – wink wink) and someone recognizes your BLUE by PINK t-shirt and says, “Hey, nice PINK t-shirt, my PINK t-shirt is ORANGE”. Maybe that’s a moment to affect some change in someone’s life that you least expect to or make a new friend.
We may wear different colours for different causes, yet we wear PINK for the same reason. Kindness.
It is very possible that we end up wearing the same or different PINK t-shirt. Regardless of what colour in the collection we wear, we wear PINK because we care.
It would be impossible for us to be able to always appreciate the struggles that others face or even how those struggles, as small as they seem, make an impact in everyone’s life.
The one thing we can understand is that we appreciate someone who treats us with kindness and warmth.
We each have the unique opportunity to initiate every interaction with kindness. Even the smallest gesture can make the biggest difference. Let PINK be the catalyst for that kindness. When you wear PINK be a beacon of KINDNESS to others.
Kindness is one size fits all. We all have it in us to share.
WHAT IS PINK SHIRT DAY
On the last Wednesday of the last week of February we honour #PINKSHIRTDAY.
A day that recognizes a special day in 2007 when 2 high school students in Nova Scotia, Canada took action to stop the bullying of one of their classmates who just wanted to simply wear pink to school one day.
Those 2 classmates organized a PINK SHIRT DAY where everyone wore PINK to show the bullies that there are a lot more PINK shirts than there are bullies.
I was once that kid getting bullied; it was over a pink sweater, shaker-knit, all the rage in the late 80s. But, no one was there to stand up for me.
Now, we can all stand up to bullying and wear our PINK t-shirts by TURNIP TEEZ.
ON WEDNESDAY WE WEAR PINK
On Wednesday we wear PINK because it is WEDNESDAY, it’s HUMP DAY and it’s a great way to remind us ALL to bring KINDNESS to the table in everything we do while we are looking FABULOUS!
At TURNIP TEEZ it doesn’t matter what colour of PINK you wear!
HOW PINK WORKS AT TURNIP TEEZ
100% off the profits from this t-shirt get put to good use. Firstly, you are helping me keep this project going. Living on my fixed disability income I don’t have a log of wiggle room for extra projects, but this is a projects that is too important to me, to not do it.
The 519 Community Centre – this place was very important to my very close friend Paul Kivisto; who lost his life to suicide in April of 2015. A portion of all PINK t-shirt profits will be donated in his name to The 519 Community Centre.
Liam’s Project – this is not an official organization or program, but a really good friend of mine who is no stranger to struggle, pain and suffering.
While Liam fights his own struggles with terminal cancer and Parkinson’s disease, works full time as the Chief Nurse in a very busy Emergency Department, he takes time on his days off, money out of his own pocket to buy; underwear, socks, sleeping bags, toiletries, tote bags, medical supplies, gift cards for food, then he heads out with what other friends he has in the medical field, and administers care to those that society has discarded.
A portion of all PINK t-shirt profits will be donated to this project. (Liam is Riley’s Doggo Dad. Riley was my recent inspiration for the WOOF Series of t-shirts.) If you would like to reach out to Liam; feel free to send a message via our Contact page.
