June 23rd is National Pink Day. This day is set aside to oppose bullying and celebrate the color pink. The color pink often represents femininity or softness. For this reason, during The Holocaust gay men, bisexual men, transgender women, and others considered sexual deviants were forced to wear a pink triangle. This National Pink Day, let us remember the Holocaust and those who wore the pink triangle. Let us take a stand against homophobic bullying amongst our people.
National Pink Day
National Pink Day was established in 2007 in Nova Scotia Canada. A boy was bullied at school for wearing a pink shirt, as pink is seen as feminine. Two of his classmates bought pink shirts and passed them out to the entire student body the next day. The entire school wore pink in support of the child. This soon became a national holiday against bullying. Now the holiday has become a worldwide event against bullying.
The Pink Triangle to Remember the Holocaust
During the Holocaust gay men, bisexual men, transgender women, and others considered sexual deviants were forced to wear a pink triangle. Jews who were gay were forced to wear the pink triangle connected to an opposite pointing yellow triangle in a mockery of the Star of David. Yet, this humiliation was the least of what these warriors had to endure. The people wearing the triangle often received the worst treatment in the concentration camps. Many died in the camp. Many more were moved to prisons and remained prisoners even after other prisoners were freed from the camps and the war ended. Those marked with the Pink Triangle were not freed just because the war ended. Their war with the bullies continued.
This National Pink Day while we as Jews wear our pink to fight the bullies, let us take time to remember the original people who were bullied to death for wearing pink. Those brave souls faced the worst bullies the world has ever known, the nazis. Let us never forget!!
Thankfully, the symbol they placed on gay Jews as a death sentence has now become a symbol of pride. The LGBT+ community has worked hard to reclaim the pink triangle as a symbol of perseverance. Wearing the symbol proudly and safely has become the best revenge. By doing so, we say I am still here. You tried to exterminate our people, but we survived. You can’t get rid of us. More than that, LGBT+ wear the symbol to remember those who did not make it.
Never Forget!!
As Jews, we more than anyone know the importance of these sentiments. We more than any other group on earth know what it means to get back up after an attempted genocide. Only we know how powerful it is to say I am still here! I will never forget!! So this National Pink Day remember The Holocaust and the warriors who wore the Pink Triangle. Wear your Pink Triangle with pride. Stand up to the bullies and say We are still here!!!
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