• Charles Sturt students and staff host several events to show their support of the LGBTIQA+ community in honour of Wear It Purple Day
• Events were held across seven Charles Sturt campuses between Monday 19 and Friday 30 August
• Wear It Purple Day is an annual worldwide event supporting the LGBTIQA+ community and advocating they have the right to be proud of who they are

Charles Sturt University (Charles Sturt) students and staff from across the University’s footprint hosted several ‘Wear It Purple’ events between Monday 19 and Friday 30 August to support and celebrate the University’s LGBTIQA+ community in honour of Wear It Purple Day.

Wear It Purple Day is an annual worldwide event held on Friday 30 August, and many in the Charles Sturt community have donned their best purple attire for their campus’s ‘Wear It Purple’ events.

Charles Sturt psychology student Nic Bagley, who is also a facilitator of Charles Sturt’s LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Training and a member of the Charles Sturt Ally Network, said the day is a reminder of how important it is for students of the LGBTIQA+ community to feel supported and accepted by the staff and students where they study.

“To me, Wear It Purple Day means that people of my community can be open with their own truth and have their identities validated and celebrated,” Nic said.

“Events like Wear It Purple Day are important because they allow us to meet like-minded people and network with people who understand the challenges we face in a hetero-normative society.

“I feel validated on Wear It Purple Day and the support that is shown on these days is beautiful.”

Charles Sturt’s Student Liaison Officer (Equity) Ms Carissa Perkins said the Wear It Purple Day events were celebrated on campus a week earlier this year to engage as many students as possible in the important message the day represents.

“Having events on campus in the lead up to the worldwide Wear It Purple Day event maximises the opportunity for our students to engage in the celebration of our LGBTIQA+ community,” Ms Perkins said.

“Activities like these help to improve students’ understanding of some of the issues and discrimination faced by the community, and encourage students to show their support by the simple but powerful gesture of wearing purple.”

The events include giveaways, information on Wear It Purple Day and Charles Sturt’s LGBTIQA+ Ally Training programs, and support services that are available for staff and students.

Charles Sturt’s food and retail staff at Cheers also showed their support by wearing rainbow shirts at the on-campus events.

Ms Perkins advised there is also a social media event taking place on Wear It Purple Day to engage online students and remote staff.

“Staff and students are invited to show their support on their sleeve and share using #WearItPurpleCharlesSturt,” Ms Perkins said.

The University’s Human Resource staff and the Ally Network in Bathurst and Wagga Wagga also hosted ‘Wear It Purple’ morning tea events on Friday 30 August.

Charles Sturt is an inclusive, safe and respectful workplace and learning environment for students and staff, and proudly supports sexuality, sex and gender diverse people in the higher education environment. 

Charles Sturt offers a range of support services for the University’s LGBTIQA+ community and offers training and resources to staff and students to increase their knowledge and understanding of the issues and discrimination faced by those the LGBTIQA+ community.