Get Inspired
Why Purple?
At Purple Campaign, the color purple represents our view that harassment should not be tolerated by any political party or within any industry. A diverse coalition of stakeholders now must come together to create lasting change in workplaces across America.
So why purple?
Purple has historically been associated with efforts to achieve gender equality and is the color of the Women’s Liberation Movement. Now, the color is widely associated with contemporary feminism and symbolizes achievements gained and achievements yet to come. Purple, green, and white were the original symbols of women’s equality from the Women’s Social and Political Union in the United Kingdom. In 1908, the color purple represented justice and dignity. The color purple also shows support to people who broke down barriers in the career realm. For example, the possibility to work in industries that were traditionally denied to women. In the 1930s, the significance of the color to the women’s movement was crystallized in “The Color Purple,” a groundbreaking book by American author Alice Walker. Her book famously mapped out discriminatory practices against African-American women in the southern United States at that time.
)-(7).png)
The Me Too Movement: Timeline of Events
History of the #MeToo Movement: Tarana J. Burke
About Tarana J. Burke
Tarana Burke is an African-American civil rights activist. As the founder of ‘me too,’ she asserts that ‘me too’ is more than just a moment in time. As the founder of this vital and growing movement, and as someone who has been organizing within issues facing Black women and girls for more than three decades, Tarana has a commitment and vision that is bigger than any hashtag or viral moment. A proud native of the Bronx, NY, Tarana’s passion for community organizing began in the late 1980s. As a young girl, she joined a youth development organization called 21st Century. She launched initiatives around issues including racial discrimination, housing inequality and economic justice. Tarana has used her platform to share her long standing belief that healing is not a destination, but a journey. This philosophy has inspired millions of survivors who previously had to live in isolation to deal with the pain, shame and trauma of their experience.
Beyond the Hashtag: #metoo 4th Anniversary
Four Years of Purple: Where We Are and Where We’re Going
The Legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a pioneer for gender equality throughout her long and highly distinguished career. She famously co-founded the Women’s Rights Project at the ACLU as a lawyer, and brought and argued the cases that led the high court to affirm protections against gender discrimination. During her tenure as a Supreme Court Justice, Ginsburg continued to fiercely advocate for gender equality and women’s rights. While on the bench, Justice Ginsburg wrote the court’s opinion in United States v. Virginia, ruling that qualified women could not be denied admission to the Virginia Military Institute. She was also a voice of dissent to the court’s decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., a case denying a woman’s gender pay discrimination claim. Ginsburg subsequently worked with President Barack Obama in 2009 on the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to combat gender pay disparities.
Justice Ginsburg was a trailblazer in her own life as well. As one of only 9 women in a class of 500 students at Harvard Law School, she faced gender discrimination and was asked to explain how she felt about taking a spot in the program instead of a man. When she joined the Supreme Court, she became the second woman–and first Jewish woman–to serve on the highest court in the land.
As the American Bar Association wrote in an article published after the Justice’s passing: “It is undeniable that the late Justice Ginsburg transformed the legal profession, the Supreme Court, and the fabric of American society through her tireless advocacy for gender equity. She was a brilliant legal scholar who left a mark on American jurisprudence both in her role on the Court and as an advocate.”
.png)
Justice Ginsburg’s Support of the Purple Campaign
In February 2020, Justice Ginsburg received the Berggruen Prize, given annually to a “thinker whose ideas are shaping human self-understanding to advance humankind” with a one-million-dollar grant. The Justice decided to divide the money among organizations advancing causes in line with the prize’s mission, and designated the Purple Campaign to receive a portion of the award.
On the day before she passed, Justice Ginsburg received the Liberty Medal, an award recognizing people of courage and conviction who strive to secure liberty to people around the globe. Justice Ginsburg designated the Purple Campaign as one of the recipients. As the letter from the National Constitution Center read: “The donation is a meaningful testament to the esteem in which Justice Ginsburg held your work, as well as being a tribute to her blessed memory.” We are beyond honored to have had the support of Justice Ginsburg in our endeavors to address workplace sexual harassment and create safer, more inclusive workplaces for all employees.
Our President, Ally Coll, met Justice Ginsburg in 2020 and wrote an op-ed following her passing discussing her legacy and what we must do now to carry her work forward.
History of Labor Day
The concept of Labor Day was put forth by labor movements all across the U.S. in the 19th century. Workers banded together to demand changes in the workplace, as the Industrial Revolution led to long hours, unsafe working conditions, and little time off for American employees. Labor unions began organizing rallies and strikes to protest these poor working conditions and demand fewer hours and better pay. Early twentieth century labor activists had long advocated for clearly defined work hours and a minimum wage. As a result, the 40-hour workweek and the minimum wage became law with the passage of the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938, and the Department of Labor has been enforcing it ever since.
Women and Labor Day
The struggle for labor rights and the fight for woman suffrage often intersected. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911 caused the deaths of 146 women – mostly immigrants – and inspired thousands of women in calling for safer working conditions. Today, the fight for safe, inclusive and equitable workplaces is ongoing and powerful women are once again leading the charge. The Labor Department was the first Cabinet agency led by a woman: Frances Perkins. Six women have held the title since then, giving the Department the record for the most women secretaries. Many of the women who followed in Perkins’ footsteps have blazed their own trails. Elaine Chao and Hilda Solis were the first Asian American and Hispanic women in the Cabinet, respectively. Alexis Herman was the first African American to serve as secretary of labor.
On Labor Day, we recognize women who have long fought for equal opportunities and protections in the American economy. From Suffragettes to early labor activists, from civil rights leaders, to outspoken public figures, to contemporary politicians, these women have shaped the landscape of labor in the U.S. To honor their achievements, we’ve compiled a timeline highlighting key events from 1920 to 1965, when a wave of progress was made for women at work.
Labor Day Today
A century ago, working women joined with women across the socioeconomic spectrum to help pass the 19th Amendment in 1920 — work that was uneven and unequal then. Today, working low-, middle- and upper-class women are feeling the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, and it is galvanizing them to continue to fight for better labor protections and safer, more inclusive workplaces.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. had 14 million labor union members in 2021. Because of the pandemic, employees are rethinking the workplace. They are demanding — and quite often getting — more freedom to work where and when they want and more attention to their well-being. Read our recent reports about how employers can implement innovative reforms to address workplace harassment in the New World of Work (NWOW) and in the wake of the Great Resignation.
Women’s History Month
We celebrated Women’s History Month by sharing the stories of inspiring and courageous women who have helped advance women’s rights and drive progress in America.
FEATURING Catherine mackinnon, adama iwu, harriet ann jacobs, and ida l. castro
Learn more about each honoree here
Black History Month
During Black History Month, we paid tribute to the generations of Black women who have helped shape the #MeToo movement. These women remind us of how far we’ve come in the fight to end sexual harassment — and how far we still have to go.
FEATURING ROSA PARKS, MECHELLE VINSON, Anita Hill, and tarana burke
Learn more about each honoree here
Equal Pay Day
On Equal Pay Day — the day up to which the typical woman must work in a particular year to catch up with what the average man earned the previous year — we honored equal pay trailblazer Lilly Ledbetter. Ledbetter’s story underscores the inextricable link between pay inequity and workplace sexual harassment. At 80-years old, Ledbetter continues to work tirelessly to create fair and safe workplaces across the country.