A boy was bullied for wearing pink to school — but his teacher's response changed everything
Colors have long been assigned to genders; generally, pink is for girls while blue is for boys. These stereotypes have seeped into every aspect of our lives, from fashion to marketing, often telling us what to wear. A teacher from Sheboygan Falls witnessed this firsthand when he found a fourth-grader being bullied by his classmates for wearing a pink T-shirt to school. The man knew he had to intervene. His efforts not only got the bullies to stop teasing, but also started a discussion.
As reported by Amplify Upworthy, the little boy shared, "They started saying, 'Why are you wearing pink?' And I am like, because I like pink." That’s when his classmates began teasing him, labelling him a 'sissy'. The boy reportedly came home sad, and his mother, Tomi Genske, was heartbroken seeing him suffer. Although the fourth grader was hesitant about returning to school, his mother managed to convince him. Genske explained, "I have never had an issue with him not wanting to go to school, and it struck me as really odd that Friday when he sat there and he was in tears. As a parent, that is heartbreaking."
When he finally reached the classroom, the boy's eyes widened in disbelief. There stood his teacher, David Winter, proudly wearing a pink shirt. It didn’t stop there—Winter continued to wear pink every single day that week. He assured the boy that he wasn’t alone. The teacher and the boy also captured the moment in a photo. His mom was grateful for the outpouring of support and shared the picture on Facebook. The little boy said, "It made me feel really happy. I sat at my desk, and I was actually in tears." He added, “I feel a lot more comfortable. I don't let it bother me anymore.”
Meanwhile, Winter stressed, "It started as a way to help William feel safe at school, and that's what I want it to be, a way for him to feel that way and to know that he's supported." As the post went viral on social media, netizens praised the teacher’s gesture. On YouTube, a person @BigMoneysLife said, “So the kid likes to wear pink, what's so terrible about that? My favorite color used to be purple, does that make ME a sissy? No, it doesn't. Kids like what kids like, doesn't mean we should bully them.” Another person, @mike47734, echoed, “Pink is just a nice color, it’s genderless LOL. My favorite color is purple, and I’m a guy, LOL.” In a similar vein, @mondler107 gushed, “Awwww!!! How amazing! He was my 4th-grade teacher in 04-05. He's still amazing!”
Not long ago, a dad named Doug Weaver also shared a TikTok video recalling the moment his 6-year-old son was teased for wearing pink. Instead of just offering words of comfort, Weaver filled his own wardrobe with pink to support his child. He even promised to paint his nails if his son ever wanted to, as reported by Amplify Upworthy. Weaver encouraged people to let children express themselves freely, warning that forcing them to change might have them stray from who they truly are.