Topical Whensday: When Will YOU Tee On to Cause an Effect?

by Megan Bayliss | More from this Blogger

27 Sep 2006 02:48 AM

It's Wednesday and a GREAT day to wear that cause related Tee Shirt that you bought to support a worthy group. Where is it now? Stuffed in the back of the cupboard or in the pyjama drawer? When will you drag it out? Today is WHENSDAY, the perfect day to find it. In Cairns, Far North Queensland, Australia, every Friday is Tropical Friday. A town that thrives on tropical and eco tourism, business houses, staff and individuals challenge each other to don the antithesis of formal dress: to frolic in the relaxed attire of holiday bliss, the tropical shirt and open footwear. Characterized by bright florals or rainforest fauna, the shirts act to show our appreciation of the generous nature that abounds our home (and of course, the generous income that International tourism provides us!).

Forever frustrated with our other most valuable and natural resource being overlooked (our children); I decided to take matters into my own hands. Last year I introduced "Topical Whensday". The catch cry of the campaign was "When will Cairns Wipe Out Sexual Violence?" We had Tee Shirts printed to distribute and spent a wee fortune on customized labels for bottles of water. The idea was that, every Wednesday, supporters of zero tolerance of sexual violence would proudly wear their shirt and weave the topic of child safety into conversations. It was a health promotion and consciousness raising exercise for an area said to have the highest rates of reported sexual assaults in Australia. Many people still wear their "Wipe Out" tees on a Wednesday. Although it has zero support from local business or Cairns leaders, there is a small, yet active core group, who refuse to have our most precious investment overlooked.

The concept of "Topical Whensday" can be loaned to any topic that you may be interested in. Rather than celebrating a National Day of support only once a year, why not cause an effect by wearing a Tee Shirt, every Wednesday, for your chosen charity. My causes will always be child focused but I understand that others have different priorities: the environment, peace, SIDS, consumer free days, animal cruelty, etc. It doesn't much matter where your commitment lies, what does matter is that you are willing to cause an effect by taking a public stance on raising consciousness around an issue of topical importance to you.

You may have recently seen Kristyn Crow's beautiful article on Walking to Cure Diabetes, or, Valorie Delp's absolutely gorgeous tongue in cheek comment on the Grass Roots Movements that have the world where it is today. I LOVE both of these articles and they are fitting examples of "Topical Whensdays." While Kristyn and her family already have the Tees to wear every Wednesday if they choose, I'm not sure what we could wear for Valorie's encompassing grass roots cause. Is anyone aware of Tee's that would fit?

While other Families.com writers offer excellent comment around "The week in Review" or "Friday Funnies", I am going to swim across the grain, yet again, and blog every Wednesday about topical childhood issues worthy of donning a Tee Shirt for. Although I will link to a site where the Tee can be purchased from, I cannot guarantee that I will always be wearing the associated Tee. I can guarantee though that every Wednesday, I will be sitting at my laptop in my "Wipe Out Sexual Violence" shirt.

Cause and effect or cause an effect? I know which one I'm going for. Go on, I challenge you. Wear your topical tee today because it's finally Whensday.

If you have a child focused cause that sells Tee's, bandana's, pins, etc (in winter months Tees aren't highly visible so wear something different) please leave a comment including the link or information on where to purchase. This will provide your cause double exposure because I will also do a separate "Topical Whensday" blog on your issue.

My favorite Australian charity: NAPCAN - the National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect.

Associated Families.com article: Advocating for the Rights and Needs of Children and Young People.

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Brownie (1011) 27 Sep 2006 11:13 AM

What a brilliant idea---- I've often said to my own family that I hate the annual 'cause' days, simply because once a year can't be enough to promote say, organ transplants, or cancer research. Once a week sounds good! I have a few Special Olympics tees here to wear, and Children in Crossfire, and will start making Wednesdays my Whensdays.... and will spread the word.

Megan Bayliss (3586) 27 Sep 2006 01:18 PM

Good one Brownie. Can you tell me about Children in Crossfire please? That sounds like an issue I could get my teeth into.