The Women’s Leadership Project at Fort Hays State University will be promoting the international movement Denim Day this Wednesday, April 27th. During the event, students will be encouraged to wear jeans and post pictures on social media to show support for victims of rape and sexual assault.
The Denim Day movement was started in reaction to an unlawful overturned rape conviction. In 1999, the Italian Supreme Court shut down a rape case because the justices believed the victim’s jeans were too tight, which meant she must have helped remove her jeans and therefore implied consent. Women working for the Italian Parliament came to work in jeans the following day to show their support for the rape victim.
The Women’s Leadership Project is taking part in continuing to show solidarity for victims of rape and sexual assault by encouraging students and faculty to wear jeans on Wednesday. Participants are asked to share photos on social media wearing denim accompanied by the hashtag #FHSUDenimDay and #NationalDenimDay2016.
The Denim Day event is a way for students and faculty at Fort Hays to stand up against rape culture, and show their support for the victims.