JOY BLOG

29 Aug 2025

JOY celebrates Wear it Purple Day 2025

JOY staff in purple for Wear it Purple Day 2025.

Australia’s LGBTQIA+ radio station and community media organisation, JOY Media, are proudly celebrating Wear It Purple Day.

Celebrated each year on the last Friday in August, Wear It Purple Day seeks to advocate for safe, supportive and inclusive environments for all young people under the rainbow umbrella. By wearing purple on the day, Australians demonstrate to rainbow young people — some of whom might not be comfortable being out yet — that they are celebrated and supported.

This year’s theme is ‘Bold Voices, Bright Futures’. The theme seeks to celebrate LGBTQIA+ people openly and visibly achieving their dreams in sport, art, science and more.

JOY Media CEO Paul Scott-Williams says the Wear It Purple Day initiative is more important than ever.

“A key part of the JOY Media mission is providing opportunities and support to all sections of our community. Every day we do all we can to nurture and inform our young people and let them know they can be safe, respected and heard.”

“In 2025, JOY Media has an incredibly strong cohort of youth creatives and broadcasters who are the lifeblood of our organisation. Wear It Purple Day is an expression of pride, support and love that we broadcast far and wide.”

Sixteen-year-old JOY broadcaster Poppy hosts So Basically… each Saturday afternoon, where they share a lively look at youth culture and the music connecting with LGBTQIA+ young people. They say that for them and their friends, Wear It Purple Day helps show how much they’re valued by the LGBTQIA+ communities.

“Wear It Purple Day is such an important day to recognise and celebrate a wide range of identities. A day like this serves as a reminder to many young people like myself that there is an entire community out here who have your back, and that you are loved and accepted, regardless of your identity!”

JOY broadcaster Poppy, from So Basically. (Photo credit: Triana Butler)

Across the day JOY will be reflecting the day on air on JOY 94.9 and across socials, encouraging listeners to share their selfies with their finest Wear It Purple Day outfits, and sharing stories highlighting LGBTQIA+ youth.

EXPLORE THE STORIES

The team from Big Bi+ Questions spoke with Isabelle, a young bi+ person who is a member of the Wear It Purple Youth Action Council. They speak about the origins and impact of Wear It Purple Day, why visibility and support for young multi-gender attracted people matter, and how allies can continue showing up every day, not just once a year.

Hear the full episode here.

Abbey (centre) with mum Sophie and JOY Drive host Warren Andrew. (Photo credit: Jacqueline Shields)

Abbie Jane, the founder of the Rainbow Shoelace Project, caught up with Warren on JOY Drive. Now fifteen years old, she shared the story of launching the initiative at the age of twelve in her hometown of Broken Hill, in which LGBTQIA+ people and allies wear rainbow beads on their shoelaces to show their support for the LGBTQIA+ communities.

Hear the conversation here.

Archie Beetle, founder, CEO, and lead educator of queer-led education organisation Queer Town, spoke with Patrice Capogreco and Frankie Mazzone live at Trades Hall earlier this year. In the podcast episode, Don’t F*ck With The Mother of a Trans Kid, Frankie reflects on growing up trans and becoming the bold 17-year-old advocate for trans youth she is today, and Patrice explores the challenges she faced advocating for her trans child, and her own courageous fight as a breast cancer survivor.

Hear the conversation here.

SHARE YOUR WEAR IT PURPLE PHOTOS

Join JOY in supporting Wear It Purple day by donning your favourite purple outfit, getting involved in local events and standing up for our rainbow youth.

Tag us in your Wear It Purple Day selfies on Instagram: @joy949.