Rep. Jackie Speier (D., Calif.) and a group of female Democratic lawmakers are planning to wear black to President Donald Trump's first State of the Union address later this month in order to stand in solidarity with the #TimesUp and other movements shining a light on sexual assault and harassment.
Speier announced on Twitter she and her fellow Democratic congresswomen in the House of Representatives were "calling on" all lawmakers–"men & women, Democrats & Republicans –to wear black to the State of the Union address at the end of this month.
"My colleagues and I in the @HouseDemWomen are calling on our fellow MoCs - women & men, Democrats & Republicans - to wear black to this year's #SOTU in solidarity w/survivors of sexual harassment/violence in Hollywood, politics, the military, academia, etc. #TIMESUP #MeToo," Speier tweeted on Wednesday.
My colleagues and I in the @HouseDemWomen are calling on our fellow MoCs - women & men, Democrats & Republicans - to wear black to this year's #SOTU in solidarity w/survivors of sexual harassment/violence in Hollywood, politics, the military, academia, etc. #TIMESUP #MeToo
— Jackie Speier (@RepSpeier) January 10, 2018
The call to wear black mirrors the decision by women, and many men, in Hollywood to wear all black to the Golden Globe Awards last weekend. The decision came in response to a growing national conversation about sexual harassment and assault that began in the wake of allegations against Hollywood Mogul Harvey Weinstein.
Speier, who launched #MeTooCongress in response to a social media movement against sexual harassment, told HuffPost on Tuesday that the movement is a "culture change that is sweeping the country, and Congress is embracing it."
HuffPost pointed out that a number of female politicians, including Speier, have come forward with their own stories of abuse. They have continued to call for accountability among elected officials in response to allegations against male politicians and candidates, including former Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), former Rep. John Conyers (D., Mich.), and Alabama Republican candidate Roy Moore.
Rep. Lois Frankel (D., Fla.), the chairwoman of the Democratic Women’s Working Group, also called on members of Congress to wear black to the national address on Jan. 30.
By wearing black to this year’s #SOTU, the @HouseDemWomen are standing in solidarity with women across our nation to say: #TimesUp on sexual harassment in the workplace. https://t.co/2Cd7bK6PlC
— Rep. Lois Frankel (@RepLoisFrankel) January 10, 2018