Why we wear red

Women Wellbeing Of Women Midwifery

From the start of 2020, more and more midwives across the country have been spotted wearing red. What is the reason for this phenomenon? Is it fashion or something more deep-rooted?

For many, purple, green and white have long been associated with women's suffrage and, by extension, the fight for equal rights. Back in 2017, though, a new trend was adopted by women seeking to assert their rights, to stand up and be noticed. Across the United States, around half a million women took to the streets, speaking up for women's reproductive rights and the right to be heard – and many of them were wearing red.

Fast forward to 2019 and the Women Deliver International Conference in Vancouver. Here, women were urged to wear red as a rallying cry, a visual call to action for policy-makers and those in power to ensure equal access to education, healthcare and politics for women.

The RCM was inspired by this and decided to adopt red as our colour for the International Year of the Midwife. By wearing red, we demonstrate midwives' advocacy for and empowerment of women. It's a visual reminder of a midwife's vital intervention throughout pregnancy and childbirth to safeguard the safety of both mother and baby.

So dig that red jacket or dress from the back of your wardrobe, don a red scarf or even a red pair of shoes and show your support for every pregnant woman’s right to a good and safe pregnancy and birth, wherever they live.