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Mariam Malik

JOINED BY JEANS. Juniors' Ada LaTarte, Sophia Bietz, Ava Schluender, Cassandra Overholt, and Scarlett Gibson (left to right) wear matching jeans to celebrate Denim Day.

Denim, a staple fabric in almost everyone’s closet, took on a new meaning this Wednesday. Every Apr. 24, individuals wear denim in solidarity with victims of sexual assault. Juniors Cerena Karmaliani and Serene Kalugdan, who both attended the Georgetown Sexual Assault Summit last fall, where they learned about this event, invited the SPA community to participate.

Denim Day at SPA followed the same message Kalugdan, Karmaliani, and senior Naomi Kempcke shared on Community Day: “The idea is to be in solidarity with survivors and show your support, knowing that you are not alone,” Kalugdan said.

With minimal education about sexual assault awareness at SPA, Karmaliani has come face to face with common misconceptions: “Somebody told me that they just thought it was a cool dress-up day for spirit week,” Karmaliani said.

On track with the goal of Denim Day, Karmaliani and Kalugdan invited students and faculty to participate through the student newsletter, posters, and announcements: “We were pushing it so hard this year in hopes it’ll continue to become a part of SPA culture,” Karmaliani said.

Kalugdan offers a piece of advice to individuals hoping to take the initiative and educate themselves about sexual assault: “The best step in active change will always be awareness. There is always a place to start, and change always starts with you,” Kalugdan said.

The campaign was created after the Italian Supreme Court made a ruling where a rape conviction was overturned after the court assumed the victim’s jeans implied consent. In response to the ruling, the Italian Parliament stood in solidarity with the victim and arrived to work in jeans the next day. Now, wearing jeans on Denim Day has become a global symbol of standing up against misconceptions about sexual assault.