Today is Wear It Purple Day, marked across Australia to support, empower, and celebrate LGBTQIA+ young people.

This year’s theme is Colours of Courage – “the courage to be who you are, be visible, and be recognised,” Meridian CEO Joshua Anlezark said.

Canberra is one of the most progressive cities in Australia, and the ACT has the largest proportion of LGBT+ people of any state or territory – but many young queer people here still need bravery simply to be themselves, Mr Anlezark says.

“At its simplest, courage for young LGBTQ+ Canberrans looks like living authentically as themselves, and not the version that others expect or approve of. Young people have not only travelled the often tumultuous journey of realizing who they are and acknowledging it to themselves. They’re going that step further and sharing it with those around them, despite real fears of rejection, judgment, or loss. Those are incredibly courageous acts on a daily basis.”

Growing up in a heteronormative or cisnormative society can leave LGBTQIA+ young people assessing whether people and places around them are safe, he said.

“From the very beginning, you’re constantly questioning your place in the world, how safe situations are – and that’s even before you disclose your sexuality or your gender identity,” Mr Anlezark said.

“You’re constantly monitoring: is this safe? That takes courage and a lot of energy.”

That vigilance has not disappeared in Canberra.

“We’re very fortunate to live in such a progressive jurisdiction where, for some years, there’s been quite strong and positive focus on LGBTIQA+ people and communities,” Mr Anlezark said. “But under that progressivism are edges of conservatism. We’ve seen recently stigma, prejudice, and discrimination just under the surface.”

Nearly 90 per cent of ACT LGBTQA+ 16- and 17-year-olds reported high or very high psychological distress, compared with 27.3 per cent of young people the same age in the general population.

Two in five reported verbal harassment; more than a quarter, sexual harassment; and nearly one in 10, physical harassment.

For some young people, the consequences can be even more severe.

“Having the courage to be true to yourself … can often result in the foundations and the bare necessities being pulled out from under you,” Mr Anlezark said.

Young sexually and gender-diverse people are at heightened risk of rejection at home and of homelessness, while schools, workplaces, and services may not feel safe or welcoming.

“Going to school, rocking up and being yourself, is an act of courage – it’s a place you have to go to every day.”

Mr Anlezark encouraged young people to find trusted people and communities who would support and celebrate them.

Coming out is not an obligation, and should happen at the young person’s own level of comfort and safety, Mr Anlezark said.

“This is your journey, your experience, and something that’s for you,” he said.

Meridian offers counselling, psychology, peer support and wellbeing programs, while A Gender Agenda also works with younger people.

But Wear It Purple Day day also calls on others to be courageous in supporting LGBTIQA+ young folk, Mr Anlezark said.

“It also takes courage from allies, community members, family, friends, to stand up when they see behaviour or attitudes that aren’t respectful, that cause harm, and call them out and hold others accountable.

“Allyship is a practice; it’s not just performative.”

Schools, workplaces, and community organisations also had a responsibility to create environments where young people knew they were safe, he said.

“Often people might be nervous about getting things wrong, but it’s the intent that sits behind it: visible actions, visible acts of support, of allyship are really important,” Mr Anlezark said.

Wear It Purple Day may celebrate courage, but Mr Anlezark hopes that one day young LGBTQIA+ people will no longer need bravery simply to live openly.

“Wear It Purple Day events help to change attitudes, help to change systems, help to increase visibility. Hopefully one day there’ll be a world where there are no spaces you have to be worried about. Sadly, we’re a long way from there. But LGBTIQA+ young people are incredibly resilient and courageous in just being themselves. Being yourself is an incredible act of courage.”