Over 500 people gathered in Kenya’s Uhuru Park, located in the capital of Nairobi, on November 17th to join in protest with the #MyDressMyChoice campaign. Hundreds gathered here to raise awareness about the way women are treated in relation to the way they dress. Earlier this month, a Kenyan woman was attacked at a bus stop because of her outfit. The graphic video displays a woman being stripped naked by a large group of men. After her attack, she was left completely naked on the street. The reason for the attack: the length of her skirt.
This attack was not a random event; it is one of many that happen everyday to innocent women in Kenya and it’s surrounding nations of Nigeria, Egypt, and Zimbabwe. There was uproar upon the release of this video, which in turn resulted in the demonstration at the park on November 17th. The crowd carried signs with the hashtag #MyDressMyChoice to further support their efforts. Each woman who participated in the protest donned the hemline of their choice and a purple ribbon in demand of their freedom and respect.
One of the protestors, Ester Passaris, said, “At the end of the day, there is no woman who is indecent…And who decides what is indecent or not?” Passaris is right; it’s 2014, women should be able to wear whatever they choose and not worry about being attacked for their choices.
There should be no question about what women can wear. Women deserve the right to wear what they want, when they want, and they should not have to live in fear. This viral hashtag shows not only the power of social media, but also the support this effort has gathered around the world. It’s truly inspirational to see the dedication women have in regards what is every woman’s fight for the basic right to dress how they choose to.
Every woman should advocate her right to wear what she wants on a daily basis. It shouldn’t take a public shaming for women to realize that their rights are being violated. If you are interested in learning more about this interesting and inspiring viral hashtag, then check out it out on Twitter here!