Photos: Annual Clothesline Project held at MTSU to raise awareness of domestic violence, promote messages of hope

Photos and story by Savannah Meade / Contributing Writer

The annual Clothesline Project at the MTSU Student Union Building was held from Monday to Thursday to raise awareness of domestic violence and to promote messages of hope.

Sponsored by the June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students, the Clothesline Project is an event that allows students to paint whatever message they want in support domestic violence awareness and prevention on white T-shirts. As long as it’s positive, it can go on a shirt.

A table in the Student Union Building was the central location for students to paint blank shirts and ask questions about the project and what it means. Students manning the table were all volunteers from social work classes, Greek organizations like Omega Phi Alpha or just students wanting to help out.

Once the shirts were painted and dry, they went up on clotheslines that hung on the railings around Student Union Building. Some of the shirts had quotes, the names of Greek organizations showing support or just simple sentiments like, “No means no.”

Many students said that they were all for the idea and thought that it was a creative and effective way to spread awareness through the campus.

“I definitely think it’s very eye catching (and) a good way to creatively express how you feel,” said Micaela Griffin, a freshman majoring in music business.

Ontario McGregor, a junior majoring in organizational communication, summed it up by saying, “No means no. Period. Point blank. If it was your brother (or) your sister how would you feel? What would you do?”

While the tabling ended on Thursday, the shirts hung in the Student Union for everyone to see until the end of the week. After that, students who painted a shirt have the option of getting their shirt back if they put their name on the tag when painting.