The Clothesline Project on Display:

Date: March 27, 2018
Time: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Venue: Virginia Tech Drillfield
Description: Montgomery County NOW, United Feminist Movement, Women's Center at Virginia Tech and It's On Us at Virginia Tech present The Clothesline Project on display on Tuesday, March 27, 2018 and Wednesday, March 28, 2018 on the Drillfield at Virginia Tech from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm each day.

The Clothesline Project, an effort to raise awareness of gender-based violence, is a visual testimony to the shattering effect of violence and the impact it has on society. Survivors of violence and friends and families of victims create shirts emblazoned with direct messages and strong illustrations. The shirts demonstrate the pain and suffering of the survivors, aid in their healing process, and celebrate their strength and courage to overcome the past.

The shirts are hung side by side on a clothesline, as though the survivors were standing there themselves, shoulder to shoulder, bearing witness to the violence committed on a daily basis.

The shirts are color coded: White for those who have died from violence; Yellow or Beige for survivors who have been battered or assaulted; Red, Pink, or Orange for those raped or sexually assaulted; Blue or Green for survivors of incest or child sexual abuse; Purple or Lavender for those attacked because of their sexual orientation; and Black for survivors handicapped by violence.

The Clothesline Project educates the public about the scope of gender-based violence and the impact it has on individuals, their families and friends, and the community. The project encourages survivors to come forward to break the silence by creating shirts to share their stories.

Approximately 600 shirts made by New River Valley residents are currently on the line.

In case of inclement weather, the display will be moved to the Squires Student Center.

To create your own shirt, drop by the Women’s Center at Virginia Tech (located at 206 Washington Street in Blacksburg, VA) anytime from Monday, March 26, to Friday, March 30 from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. All materials are supplied free of charge.

Local sponsors include Montgomery County NOW, the United Feminist Movement, the Women’s Center at Virginia Tech, and the Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley. This local Clothesline Project was initiated in 1994 by the Montgomery County chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW).

For more information, please contact Susan Anderson at 540-231-8041 (w), 540-951-2013 (h), or anderson@math.vt.edu or visit https://www.facebook.com/events/2080445781973116/.