Tomorrow is the New Hampshire statewide Clothesline Project. The members of the Americorps Victim Assistance Program will be putting up a tent in front of the State House in Concord and put all the t-shirts made this year up for the state to see. The press will be there, along with the Attorney General and Governor to bring awareness to the issues of domestic and sexual violence. This is part of the National Victims Rights week.
The Clothesline Project is a visual display of t-shirts to educate, document and raise awareness about domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking in our society. All t-shirts are made by survivors and allies of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. The shirts are color coded as follows:
White- women who have died from violence
Yellow/Beige- women who have been battered or assaulted
Red/Pink/Orange- women who have been raped or sexually molested
Blue/Green- women survivors of incest or child sexual abuse
Purple- women attacked because of their sexual orientation
Grey- men who are victims or survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence and/or attacked because of their sexual orientation
There are also shirts that are youth sizes to account for youth survivors. This is an incredibly moving display that really brings light to the issue. The shirts are created with many different aspects, including pictures, words, phrases and anything that is representative to their personal story.
To learn more about Clothesline Project check out clotheslineproject.org
They should add a trans category. I suppose the trans person could have a t-shirt that fits the category with which they identify, but I feel like it is important to highlight how many trans people are attacked/beaten/raped for their gender variance. Most if it goes unreported, or if it is reported, the people in power often refuse to follow up, as if the person deserved it.
I just heard a transguy speak this weekend about his experience in high school (he graduated last year), and it was horrifying! He was sexually assaulted by bio males in his high school on a fairly regular basis, and the principal's response was, "Well, you weren't technically RAPED, so what do you want me to do about it? I won't have you saying these things about students in my school." Nevermind the fact that HE was a student in the school...a very vulnerable student. He used to skip class and drive home to use the bathroom, because he'd get beaten up no matter which bathroom he used. The school has some of the beatings on film; they watched the film with him and denied seeing anything that looked like a beating. They kept saying it just looked like kids screwing around and that he shouldn't be so sensitive and that if he tried to fit in better, people would pick on him less. It was disgusting, and unfortunately, it is a fairly common situation for transkids.
I think some attention should be drawn to that. Maybe i'll make a suggestion on the site.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
I defintely agree with your suggestion. I will bring that up tomorrow at the Clothesline Project Display. I think it is definitely something that needs attention brought to it. I think this group of people definitely gets lost in every issue really. They also bring to light a population that needs to be recognized and shown that these types of violence happen in that community as well.
I will definitely bring this up with the coordinators of the Americorps Victim Assistance, as well as the AG and Governor.
Thanks for that input.
Thanks! Let me know how it turns out. It's a cool project.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman