Pussy hat, back: At the 2018 Women's Marches, pink, again, is the call to arms

A current and future fighter for women’s equality at the Women’s March on Jan. 20 in Los Angeles. (Photo: Getty Images)
A current and future fighter for women’s equality at the Women’s March on Jan. 20 in Los Angeles. (Photo: Getty Images)

One year after setting records in crowd sizes for the first set of rallies, people across the country took to the streets for the second annual Women’s Marches. Crowds in the thousands in cities across the nation came together to demand equality, justice, and social and political change.

Along with signs , women and men also chose fashion to help speak for the issues.

The pink pussy hat was back, first and foremost. More than just an accessory, it has become a symbol for the movement. After going viral in late 2016, pussy hats were spotted everywhere in last year’s march, and this year’s attendees dusted theirs off this year, too.

In the meantime, they have also become controversial. Phoebe Hopps, founder and president of Women’s March Michigan, told the Detroit Free Press that state and national organizations have tried “to move away from the pussyhats for several months now, and are not making it the cornerstone of our messaging because … there’s a few things wrong with the message. It doesn’t sit well with a group of people that feel that the pink pussyhats are either vulgar or they are upset that they might not include trans women or nonbinary women or maybe women whose (genitals) are not pink.”

Diana Schmitt participates in the Women’s March for Truth on Jan. 20, in St. Louis, Mo. (Photo: Whitney Curtis/Getty Images)
Diana Schmitt participates in the Women’s March for Truth on Jan. 20, in St. Louis, Mo. (Photo: Whitney Curtis/Getty Images)
Protester bears the unofficial color of the 2018 Women’s March in Charlotte, N.C. (Photo: Getty Images)
Protester bears the unofficial color of the 2018 Women’s March in Charlotte, N.C. (Photo: Getty Images)
A rally in Park City, Utah, for the 2018 Women’s March (Photo: Getty Images)
A rally in Park City, Utah, for the 2018 Women’s March (Photo: Getty Images)
Participants adorned in pink at the New York City 2018 rally (Photo: Getty Images)
Participants adorned in pink at the New York City 2018 rally (Photo: Getty Images)

Men also sported pink for the cause.

A protester at the Women’s March on Washington 2018: March on the Polls! in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Getty Images)
A protester at the Women’s March on Washington 2018: March on the Polls! in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Getty Images)
Rachel and Jordan Roth march with their son, George, at the Women’s March in Denver. (Photo: Getty Images)
Rachel and Jordan Roth march with their son, George, at the Women’s March in Denver. (Photo: Getty Images)

But no matter what marchers wore, their statements clearly go beyond looks.

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