Passionate and Proud in Purple

Friday 30 August is Wear It Purple Day in Australia. It is a day to unite LGBTQIA+ youth and allies to create a more inclusive future for all.

By wearing purple, we demonstrate to rainbow young people that they are celebrated and respected, acknowledging all have the right to be proud of who they are and who they are becoming.

Originally founded by students in response to global stories of teenagers taking their own lives due to bullying and harassment, Wear It Purple Day has become an international movement of love and support.

To celebrate this year’s theme ‘Your Passion, Your Pride’, we spoke to Tara Pollock (she/her), Customer Experience Specialist to hear more about her experiences of Wear it Purple.

Why is Wear It Purple important to you?

Tara: As a proud LGBTIQA+ ally, it’s important that we are coming together as strong advocates for our youth in a challenging time of their life and also being a visual representation of support, to be forever seen as a safespace.

What is something that you are passionate about and why?

Tara: For the past 11 years, I have been well established within the Mardi Gras community, supporting Parade and Fair Day as a Volunteer.

I started my journey as a Rainbow Zone parade volunteer, standing along the parade route and being amongst the rainbow families, while they enjoyed the glitz and glamour as it rolled past.

As the years flew by, friends became like family and I just knew that this was my annual commitment to supporting a community of people who I cherish and want to celebrate.

With those years came experience and opportunities to level things up, in 2021 I had my first taste of what it means to lead my own team.

What is a moment in your life that you are proud of or that has made you proud?

Tara: Sydney’s World Pride in 2023 was the crowning moment to my achievements and gave me the most immense pride.

Not only did I take up my normal Team Leader roles on Parade and Fair Day, I also helped lead a team of volunteers on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, for the Bridge March and I helped behind the scenes creating the giant human progress flag at the Sydney Opera house.

Both of these being mammoth and incredibly iconic.

While the roles I have taken up over the years have increased in pressure, stress, sweat & exhaustion, nothing else in my life gives me as much overwhelming amounts of joy, passion and sense of accomplishment, but just knowing that these incredible events hold so much meaning for the community, is the icing on the ever loving glitter cake that is the LGBTIQA+ community.

It was also in 2023 that I was given the award for Excellence in Leadership. And in 2024, was asked to step it up again and become a Float Liaison Area Co-Coordinator.

I can not wait to see where this journey takes me, but I just know that it will be done with glitter on my face and pride in my heart! Shameless plug, 2025 volunteer opportunities come online in September and we (Mardi Gras) are always needing extra volunteers…