Reconstruct/Deconstruct: Violence Against Women

thrifted and up-cycled garments: sheer gray and black ombre kaftan for the outer layer, velvet t-shirt dress for the lining, white pearl beads

march 8th is international women’s day and through my garment I wanted to talk about violence faced by women / my inspiration was the “naked dress,” to show the idea that what we wear does not mean yes AND ‘our bodies’ mean ‘our rights’ / I beaded the women’s symbol across the chest, a white ribbon (which is used to acknowledge violence faced by women) on the back, and the words “ME TOO,” on the part of the dress where the vulva lies / I used two mirrors for some photographs: the one on the wall has the women’s symbol with a fist and the one in front of me says “end viol-ence against women.”