The white ribbon, a white-colored ribbon or representation of a white-colored ribbon, has several different meanings depending on the context. As with other color ribbons, is sometimes used by political movements to signify or spread their beliefs. In that context, it is usually worn on garments or represented in propaganda (posters, leaflets, etc.).
The White Ribbon has been the badge of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union founded by Frances Willard since its founding in 1873. The WCTU is the oldest continuing non-sectarian women's organization worldwide. The white ribbon bow was selected to symbolize purity. The WCTU traditionally uses the bow rather than the more modern "remembrance" loop.
One of the most notable usages of the white ribbon in recent times is as the symbol of violence against women, safe motherhood, and other related causes. It also has a long tradition in state fairs and similar farming and horticultural competitions in the United States and Canada.
Read more about White Ribbon: The Anti-violence Against Women Movement, Feminism, Quebec Peace Movement, U.S. County and State Fairs, Russian Protests 2011-2012, Other Uses/combined With Other Colours
Famous quotes containing the words white and/or ribbon:
“When white men were willing to put their own offspring in the kitchen and corn field and allowed them to be sold into bondage as slaves and degraded them as another man’s slave, the retribution of wrath was hanging over this country and the South paid penance in four years of bloody war.”
—Rebecca Latimer Felton (1835–1930)
“I’ll tell you how the Sun rose—
A Ribbon at a time—”
—Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)