The Women’s Resource Center and the Young Women’s Christian Association are presenting The Clothesline Project at Cal State Long Beach to promote awareness about violence against women.
“[The Clothesline Project] is a chance for students to speak out and break the silence,” Karina Zamora, a senior psychology major and project volunteer. “It’s a chance to express themselves.”
The Clothesline Project event is located between the College of Business Administration and Parking Structure 1 near the Horn Center. In previous years, the project has been at the Friendship Walk in front of the University Bookstore.
“Every year we put it in different places to circulate consciousness,” Zamora said.
According to a Project Clothesline flier, the project began in 1993 as “a visual display of shirts designed by survivors, their friends and family members. With graphic messages and illustrations that encourage women to break the silence about violence against women.”
An organization pamphlet said that each shirt color has a different meaning. White represents women who died because of violence. Yellow and beige represents women who’ve survived domestic violence. Red, pink and orange represent women who have survived rape and sexual assault. Blue and green represent those who have survived incest and sexual abuse. Purple represents women who were attacked because they are bisexual, lesbian or perceived to be lesbian. Black and gray represent women who have survived gang rape.
“People think there are a lot of myths about sexual assault,” said Aggy Barbero, a YWCA outreach specialist. “It’s very common; more sexual assaults are taking place among the same sex and same race. Sexual assault doesn’t discriminate.”
The purpose of hanging shirts is to symbolically air out the “dirty laundry” of sexual abuse, according to a YWCA pamphlet.
“The shirts make people uncomfortable,” said Sara Espinosa, a senior psychology major and clothesline volunteer. “If you’re at home reading an e-mail on sexual abuse people might say, “yeah, it happens” and push it to the side. Here it’s in your face.”
Some students felt the effects of the shirts as they passed by the display.
“The words stood out to me,” said April Skidmore, a sophomore psychology major. “It’s pretty empowering that someone did this. It’s not a fake. It’s real.”
Some students said events like the Clothesline Project make a difference on campus.
“This is shocking but people need to be able to express themselves,” said Fernando Pelaez, a senior psychology major. “It’s great that it’s out there for people.
Others find the messages on the shirts inspirational.
“This reaffirms my belief in working with people who have been in this situation,” said Candyce Carlberg, a senior criminal justice major. “This makes me want to cry.”
The Clothesline Project will be on campus Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. by the CBA building.
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