“I am asking you to join me and Kathleen in wearing denim to raise awareness of sexual assault on Denim Day, Wednesday, April 27th,” Governor Brian Sandoval said. “I am looking forward to seeing my staff and other state employees wearing denim to raise awareness on Wednesday.”

Denim Day is part of a national movement to raise awareness of sexual assault; the “fashion statement as social statement” stems from a 1999 incident in Italy in which a young woman was said to share blame for her assault because of her tight jeans. Italian elected officials responded by wearing jeans in protest and denim has since become a symbol of the need to understand assault issues. The Governor’s Office will be participating.

“Working and wearing denim together, we can speak for all of those who have been assaulted and those who haven’t, or can’t, speak of their assault,” the First Lady said.

Attached is a letter from the First Lady about Denim Day. For more information, visit denimdayinla.org.