Lawmakers Wear Black To Trump’s State Of The Union Address

Antonia Blumberg
Updated

Democratic lawmakers wore black and sported pins in solidarity with victims of sexual harassment and assault on Tuesday as President Donald Trump was set to deliver his first State of the Union address.

Men and women in Congress joined the action, which was spearheaded by the Democratic Women’s Working Group, to bring attention to the movement to hold powerful men in multiple industries accountable for sexual misconduct.

“This is a culture change that is sweeping the country, and Congress is embracing it,” Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), who launched #MeTooCongress in response to a social media movement against sexual harassment, told HuffPost earlier this month.

Speier was among the Democrats who showed up to the event dressed in black and wearing pins supporting the Time’s Up movement. She and others also sported red pins with the name “Recy” on them, honoring the late Recy Taylor, a sexual assault survivor who has become an icon for the Me Too and Time’s Up movements.

Taylor’s niece, Rose Gunter, was attending the State of the Union address on Tuesday as the guest of Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) and wore black for the event. Other lawmakers also brought sexual assault survivors and activists to the address.

Some hoped to call attention to allegations of sexual harassment and assault that have been made against the president, while others aimed more broadly to address the culture of sexism that has let many incidents of misconduct go unchecked.

Members of Congress are seen wearing black in the Rayburn Room of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., ahead of the State of the Union address.
Members of Congress are seen wearing black in the Rayburn Room of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., ahead of the State of the Union address.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), center, poses with members of Congress wearing black in support of the "Me Too" movement.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), center, poses with members of Congress wearing black in support of the "Me Too" movement.
U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.), Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) and other House Democrats wear black.
U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.), Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) and other House Democrats wear black.
Rep. Susan Davis (D-Calif.) wears black with a "Time's Up" pin and a "RECY" button.
Rep. Susan Davis (D-Calif.) wears black with a "Time's Up" pin and a "RECY" button.
Members of Congress pose with Rose Gunter, the niece of sexual assault survivor Recy Taylor, to show solidarity with men and women who are speaking out against sexual harassment and discrimination.
Members of Congress pose with Rose Gunter, the niece of sexual assault survivor Recy Taylor, to show solidarity with men and women who are speaking out against sexual harassment and discrimination.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.