Monday, April 21, 2025
On Wednesday, April 30, make a statement! Wear jeans to show support for victims of sexual assault and promote intervention and prevention programs. Since 1999, Denim Day has become a movement across the globe to change attitudes and bring new awareness to sexual violence. The event is now observed every year on the last Wednesday of April.
The MPS Department of Gender and Identity Inclusion will host the fourth annual Denim Day summit on April 23, 2025, bringing together 300 students from across the district to engage in conversations about consent, sexual assault awareness, and resources for healing and support.
What is Denim Day? In 1998, the Italian Supreme Court overturned a rape conviction based solely on the fact that a teenage victim was wearing tight jeans. They argued that the accused—her driving instructor—could not have removed her jeans without her help, making her a willing participant. The next day, the women who worked in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in support of the victim. Since then, Denim Day has become a tradition across the globe in support of victims of sexual assault and as a means to change attitudes about sexual misconduct.
Wear jeans and show your support! Make a bold statement by choosing a color to represent associated forms of violence.
Teal: Sexual assault awareness
Purple: Domestic violence
Orange: Violence against women and girls
For more information about this sensitive topic, visit denimdayinfo.org or peaceoverviolence.org/denim-day.