Denim Day 2019 will be Wednesday, April 24. Show your support for survivors of sexual assault by wearing jeans on this day to call for an end to myths surrounding sexual violence. Follow the event on social media with #MarquetteDenimDay.
A visual display will be in Central Mall from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Information tables will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with program beginning at noon; MUPD Chief Hudson will be the highlighted speaker. Pizza will be provided.
The history of Denim Day
For the past 19 years, Peace Over Violence has run its Denim Day Campaign on a Wednesday in April in honor of Sexual Violence Awareness Month. The campaign was originally triggered by a ruling by the Italian Supreme Court where a rape conviction was overturned because the justices felt that since the victim was wearing tight jeans, she must have helped her rapist remove her jeans, thereby implying consent. The following day, the women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim. Peace Over Violence developed the Denim Day campaign in response to this case and the activism surrounding it. Since then, wearing jeans on Denim Day has become a symbol of protest against erroneous and destructive attitudes about sexual assault.
During the month of April, the university will host several events to show support for survivors and commitment to ending sexual assault and victim blaming.
April 1 through 22: Campus-wide denim drive
From April 1 through 22, the Marquette community is encouraged to donate denim that will be used in the visual display. Drop off used denim at the collection bins in any of the following locations:
- Abbottsford Hall Lobby
- Carpenter Tower Lobby
- Cobeen Hall Lobby
- Mashuda Hall Lobby
- Humphrey Hall Lobby
- McCormick Hall Lobby
- Schroeder Hall Lobby
- Straz Tower Lobby
- O’Donnell Hall
- McCabe Apartments
- Campus Town East
- Campus Town West
- The Marq
- AMU (MUSG office, LGBTQ+ Resource Center and Center for Intercultural Engagement)
April 5: Jeans for Java
On Friday, April 5, receive free coffee from the AMU Brew by donating a gently used pair of jeans or other denim items, which will be re-purposed for the Denim Day display. MUPD’s Nattie will be at the event from noon to 1 p.m. RSVP online.
April 5, 12 and 17: Denim Day decorating parties
Take an active step in supporting survivors at Marquette by joining one of the decorating parties for the Denim Day visual display. Denim, art supplies and dinner will be provided.
- Friday, April 5, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. | MUSG offices | Register online
- Friday, April 12, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. | Center for Intercultural Engagement | Register online
- Wednesday, April 17, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. | 707Hub | Register online
All Marquette Denim Day evens are co-sponsored by the Student Wellness and Prevention Center, the Center for Intercultural Engagement, Sexual Violence Prevention and Education, MUSG, the Office of Residence Life, MUPD, Campus Ministry, the Office of Marketing and Communication, Sodexo, the Center for Peacemaking, the Office of Student Development, Students Against Sexual Violence (SASV), the Women’s Innovation Network, Sigma Lambda Gamma, the Counseling Center and the LGBTQ+ Resource Center.