Hoodie Day Aiming to Break Down Stereotypes

As part of Youth Week, a ‘Hoodie Day’ will he held on 30 May with the message of getting people to look past certain types clothing to see the young person inside it.

Hoodie Day is the latest initiative supported by Students Against Drink Driving and Waitaki Community Safety Officer, Alison Banks. It aims to stem antisocial behaviour by encouraging interaction between all sections of the community to break down their stereotypical views of each other.

Favoured by hip-hop culture and United States street gangs, hooded sweatshirts have been linked with youth crime in New Zealand - unfairly so, according to Ms Banks.

"Like young people, hoodies are often incorrectly stereotyped and often get a bad rap." Ms Banks said. “Youth Week aims to foster a society in which young people are supported and nurtured".

The campaign is designed to reinforce the message that although people look and sound different on the outside, underneath they are all the same.

SADD chair person, Jess Russell, believes that while young people do need to think about how they're impacting on everyone else, older people and those affected by the image of a hoodie need to think about the way they are tarring everyone with the same brush.

“A person wearing a hoodie isn't necessarily bad

. It is what is under the hoodie that counts. Given the chance, a hoodie can be your best friend - stylish, warm, comforting and cosy. Young people are all different, and if you give them the chance, they will disprove the negative rap they get,” she said.

Students Against Drink Driving want the community to get involved with Hoodie Day and show they care about youth in Aotearoa by wearing a hoodie on 30 May. They would like businesses and organisations to encourage their staff to wear a hoodie and if they don’t have one, purchase a special addition from Soul Surf and Skate.