Yesterday it was International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and it is not rare to see this event symbolised by a white ribbon.
The latter is also linked to the White Ribbon Campaign (WRC), a global movement of men and boys working to end male violence against women and girls (domestic violence awareness is instead represented by the colour purple).
In Italy, though, many people opted to wear a red ribbon to raise awareness that violence against women is a cultural problem and a social responsibility that concerns everyone and to remember the women who were victims of violence this year, in particular Giulia Cecchettin, 22, who was killed two weeks ago by her ex-boyfriend.
Police forces displayed the symbol on service vehicles and uniforms, students donned it in schools, but there were also politicians and members of the Italian parliament who opted for red ribbon or a white ribbon with a red section.
While it is always honourable to stand up for a good cause, the choice of a red ribbon may be confusing as this symbol is globally recognized to express awareness and support for those living with HIV and AIDS and their families and friends, and the efforts to increase funding for AIDS services and research.
The Red Ribbon appeared for the first time in 1991, when a group of New York artists met in a gallery in the East Village to discuss a project for Visual AIDS, a New York arts organization dedicated to HIV awareness.
The artists involved in the project wanted to encourage conversation about HIV during a period when it carried significant stigma. The simple yet immediate design was chosen as it was easy to recreate it: it was influenced by the yellow ribbons tied on trees to show support for the US military during the Gulf War, but the red colour was selected for its bold visibility and symbolic representation of passion, heart, and love, a bit like a valentine.
Pink and rainbow colours are usually associated with the LGBT+ community, so opting for a different shade was considered as a way to remind people that HIV was relevant to everyone.
As the decades passed, the red ribbon became one of the most iconic symbols of the late 20th century, it is indeed also represented in the permanent collection at New York's Museum of Modern Art. It should be highlighted that the red ribbon doesn't belong to anybody, it is not exclusive to a country, a government or a campaign and the artists who created it ensured that it stayed copyright-free, and was not a commercial or trademark tool.
That said, while it is not a copyrighted design and therefore in this case there is no infringement, choosing the red ribbon to indicate another cause may prove confusing, especially for younger generations who may not be aware of the AIDS campaign (let's hope teachers and members of their families will tell them about it) or even amount to appropriation.
This situation is regrettable as it suggests that a campaign dedicated to women, typically subjected to discrimination in our society, would adopt a symbol initially crafted by another marginalized community. If this trend gains popularity, there is also a risk that in Italy it might supplant the red ribbon as the emblem for AIDS awareness.
Perhaps, instead of relying on ribbons and other symbols or appropriating symbols from other fights, we should reshift our attention on our goals and objectives. A 1994 leaflet promoting World AIDS Day succinctly stated, "Ribbons are not enough" - emphasizing that the red ribbon becomes truly meaningful when paired with actions and words that create a tangible impact. "Wearing a Red Ribbon is the first, easy step in the fight against AIDS. The next step is to do something," the leaflet highlighted.
Sporting a ribbon is indeed a visible commitment, yet it falls short in addressing the urgent matter of violence and femicides. This is particularly crucial when contemplating the severity of the situation in the Italy, where over 100 women were tragically killed this year. The necessary subsequent steps demand concrete actions to bring about positive change in the ongoing battle against violence against women.
A last note for design students: this may be a superficial reminder, when working on a project always ensure to thoroughly examine the meanings and symbolisms associated with colours, symbols, and logos both within your own country and globally. This will allow you to avoid creating designs that might appear derivative or inadvertently lead to appropriation issues.
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