White Ribbon Day

Before the holiday break, Greenwood participated in the White Ribbon Campaign to end violence against women and girls and to promote gender equity, healthy relationships, and a new vision of masculinity. 

In 1989 at an engineering school in Montreal, an anti-feminist gunman killed 14 female students. As a response to the École Polytechnique massacre, the White Ribbon Campaign was started by a group of pro-feminist men in London, Ontario in November 1991. 

The campaign was started with a mission to “engage men and boys in the prevention of gender-based violence by promoting equity and transforming social norms”. Since the campaign was established in Toronto in 1991, initiatives have been organized in over 60 countries across the globe. For example, White Ribbon’s  2020 annual report stated that the campaign had received 3,006 pledges to “never commit, condone, or remain silent about violence against women”. In addition to making the pledge, White Ribbon asks men to wear white ribbons as a sign of their commitment to that pledge. 

To support the White Ribbon campaign, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee prepared slides that were shown around the school, and announcements in the mornings so students could learn more about the campaign. In addition to announcements, white ribbons were handed out on the anniversary of the Montreal Massacre, as a way for the Greenwood community to show their support.