Skirts on strike?

Jessica Leigh Lebos

When Jessica Leigh graduated with a degree in creative writing, she figured she'd be slinging lattes for the rest of her life, so she shaved her head, moved into a VW bus and set off for Alaska. Good thing the van broke down just north of San Francisco, because she just hates cold weather. Her baris...

Friday, May, 9, 2008

I love me some A-line frills and no-nonsense pencil styles, but I have to admit that sometimes I’m guilty of dreaming of jeans on the job. See, unlike most skirt! offices, we have a no-jeans rule here in Savannah, and I’m just itching for some denim on my legs. So you know I’ll be sporting my Sevens next Friday for this good cause:

On Friday, May 16, many area businesses are participating in Jeans For Justice Day to benefit the Rape Crisis Center and draw attention to the prevalence of violence against women.

Jeans for Justice Day is a way to bring attention to the fact that the most common piece of clothing for a victim of rape to have on is jeans – NOTa sexy, provocative outfit. It’s a reminder that rape is about not about sex; it’s about power and violence.

The origin of Jeans for Justice came from a 1999 incident in Italy in which a judge freed an accused assailant, stating that he could have not possibly taken off the victim’s jeans without her cooperation. In protest against such absurd logic, Italy’s female lawmakers wore jeans to Parliament the next day, and the action became a global statement about the cruelty of blaming the victim for sexual assault.

Employees who wear their bell bottom blues (or their True Religions, or their rusty-trusty Levi’s, or of course, their Apple Bottom jeans and the boots with fur...) will pay $5-$20 for the privilege, and donations will be given to the compassionate, hard-working folks at the Rape Crisis Center to support their crisis intervention and prevention programs.

For more info, contact Mary McAlister at 912.233.3000 or savrccdirector@hotmail.com.