As British Columbians wear pink today to stand up against bullying, one Victoria photographer is using the day to shine a light on a conversation that often goes unspoken, adult bullying.
Colin Smith, a local photographer, launched an 18-day Instagram campaign leading up to Pink Shirt Day featuring Vancouver Islanders who have experienced bullying in adulthood.
The project was born from his own experience.
“I was inspired by being a victim of adult bullying myself, and going through the aftermath of it all,” said Smith.
“When I got to the other side of the debilitating effects, I knew I wanted to bring the community together in a positive way to show that we aren’t alone.”
Because photography was tied to the experience, Smith said he stepped away from his cameras for a period of time.
Smith turned to social media and made several posts asking if others would feel comfortable sharing their experiences publicly and meeting for portraits.
He says he was “absolutely floored” by the number of people who reached out.
The 18-day series featured a wide range of experiences from Vancouver Islanders.
Some described online harassment, others spoke about fractured friendships, workplace conflict and long-term emotional impacts that followed them well into adulthood.
While each story was different, many participants chose to focus on healing, reflection and moving forward.
“I think everyone who took part took pride in sharing their story, and many of them told me that it was really healing to finally be able to chat about it,” said Smith.
Pink Shirt Day in BC began in response to homophobic and transphobic bullying in schools and has since grown into a province-wide movement promoting kindness and inclusion.
In statements released Wednesday, provincial leaders emphasized that preventing bullying is an ongoing responsibility shared by communities across BC, including in the digital world where harassment can follow people everywhere.
Smith says he hopes to continue the campaign in future years and potentially build a year-round community focused on connection and healing.
The full 18-day series can be viewed on Smith’s Instagram page.
