start wearing purple

Today was spirit day.  Although I tend to call for color coordination when we go for work walks, I generally don't spread the word in the office for everyone to dress alike.  I have gotten messages that encouraged us to wear red for cancer awareness and I've participated but I've never instigated.  But today, I got most of my office to wear purple and it was even my day off!

I don't think that my boss's are homophobic.  In fact, I know that they are encouraging.  However, homosexuality, AIDS (I don't know why they have to be lumped together but they do) and gender differences are subjects that go officially unnamed in my office expect for when cultural consideration is brought up as a company policy.  What I'm trying to say is that most of the Peoples in Charge (PIC's) at work still whisper or lower their voice and look around when they say "gay" or "AIDS".  So I was pretty impress that, not only did I not get called out for pushing "the homosexual agenda" when I sent out an e-mail letting everyone know it was going to be purple day, but also that my bosses wore purple too.  My director even passed along the message to the marketing department and others she supervises.  It warms the heart.

What else?
Surprisingly, only one other person at my internship wore purple.  Considering the intent of wearing purple today was to bring to light the high-risk vulnerability of our GLBTQ youth and a disproportionate number of homeless youth are GLBTQ and my internship is at an agency for GLBTQ youth, it's a little upsetting that not more people wore purple there.

However, the internship is going better.  Today, I was left alone for two hours to supervise the residents and, by default, they had to come to me to get help so I was able to build up cred and rapport with them.