Organizers of Saturday’s Women’s March in Washington, D.C., have asked that attendees not bring “The Handmaid’s Tale”-themed imagery or clothing to the event.
The criteria spelled out in the march’s guidelines effectively bans “Handmaid’s Tale” costumes. In a specific bullet point on the march website, organizers ask that no costumes similar to those in the Hulu show be worn because they erase identities of color and represent control of reproductive rights.
“The use of Handmaid’s Tale imagery to characterize the controlling of women’s reproduction has proliferated, primarily by white women across the country, since the show has gained popularity,” the organizers wrote. “This message continues to create more fragmentation, often around race and class, because it erases the fact that Black women, undocumented women, incarcerated women, poor women and disabled women have always had their reproduction freedom controlled in this country. This is not a dystopian past or future.”
Members of The Handmaids Army DC — a group that purposefully wears such costumes to call attention to the limited reproductive freedom they symbolize — responded to this request in a statement on its own website Sept. 27.
“We respect their right to shape the message of the events they organize. And we acknowledge that our demonstrations elicit valid mixed responses from observers, just as the pink pussy hats employed by the Women’s March did,” the group wrote, rejecting the suggestion they only represent white women and stating they support “reproductive rights for ALL people.”
Nonetheless, the group said, “It is clear that while we share some goals and principles with the organizers of the Women’s March, we also have increasingly divergent agendas and methods.”
The Hulu original series, starring Elisabeth Moss, wrapped up its fourth season on June 16.
A rep for “The Handmaid’s Tale” did not immediately respond to a request for comment.