People who want to show that they stand in solidarity with the marginalized groups of people who now live in fear of an uncertain future for them and their loved ones in the wake of Tuesday’s election have a special and simple way of doing so.
In the days since Donald Trump was declared the victor in the race for the presidency, there has been a steady increase in the number of reports of openly racist attacks against people of color. Those afraid of the xenophobic, homophobic, racist and Islamophobic backlash that appeared on Trump’s campaign trail have taken to the streets to express their fear and dismay.
New York magazine reports that as more stories about violence and hate speech surface online, people have begun wearing safety pins to identify themselves as allies to women, LGBT people, immigrants and people of color who are frightened by the rhetoric coming from Trump supporters postelection. The pins are also a sign of solidarity in the fight against intolerance.
The gesture follows a movement that happened in England after the Brexit vote, when immigrants and people of color found themselves the target of racist attacks. The safety pin indicates that the wearer supports tolerance and stands in solidarity with marginalized groups.
Here in the U.S., people have begun wearing the pins and declaring themselves “safe places.” It’s a small but meaningful gesture that shows allies are out there.
Read more at New York magazine.