Did you notice women wearing white at the State of the Union address? Here's why

The show of solidarity with women's rights activists comes as a record number of women serve in US Congress.

Women in white gather for the 2019 State of the Union address.

Women in white gather for the 2019 State of the Union address. Source: Twitter

In a sea of black and navy suits, a group of female leaders sitting together in white stood out starkly in the audience of US President Donald Trump's second State of the Union address.

The move was planned by the House Democratic Women's Working Group, who called on women from both sides of the political spectrum to wear white to the speech in honour of Women's Rights suffragettes.

Democrats in the Capitol Visitor Center wear "suffragette white" to the State of the Union address to show solidarity for women's agendas.
Democrats in the Capitol Visitor Center wear "suffragette white" to the State of the Union address to show solidarity for women's agendas. Source: Getty Images


As US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi climbed the dais, they gathered in the aisle of the Democratic side of the House, raising their voices and hands as other members raised their phones and recorded the moment.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman ever to serve in the US Congress, wore a white caped blazer. A man wore white, too: Dean Phillips of Minnesota.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Dean Phillips in white.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Dean Phillips in white. Source: Getty Images


Donald Trump's daughter, Tiffany, was also spotted wearing white.

The 25-year-old law student was seen with smile as she entered the Capitol with her all-white ensemble.

The show of solidarity was particularly poignant given that a record number of women are currently elected to the US Congress. For the first time in US history, there will be more than 100 women in the House of Representatives.

"Exactly one century after Congress passed the Constitutional Amendment giving women the right to vote. We also have more women serving in Congress than ever before," the President said during his speech to cheers of "USA" from the crowd.

"All Americans can be proud that we have more women in the workforce than ever before," he said.

The working group's chair Lois Frankel told CNN said the move was a "respectful message of solidarity with women across the country". 

"And a declaration that we will not go back on our hard-earned rights," she said.

Congresswoman Val Demings said on Twitter that she was wearing white "to remind the president that we — and the rights our ancestors fought for — aren't going anywhere".

The choice of colour was a throwback to the early 20th century when suffragettes would wear white dresses during protests to create better photo opportunities.

Several women also wore white to Mr Trump's first State of the Union address in 2017.


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By Maani Truu


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