Here’s Why Everyone Is Posting Photos of Safety Pins

A few days post-election and it's not unusual to hear about hate crimes happening around the country, including — but not limited to — ones against immigrants, people of color, and Muslims. But in the midst of all that negativity, people are banding together in a positive way, wearing safety pins to symbolize solidarity and to combat what's going on. The movement, which started in the UK when similar events occurred post-Brexit, is a simple and easy way of saying, "Hey, whoever you are, whatever you believe in, you're safe with me."

Still, the gesture is generating some backlash. An article published by The Huffington Post explains why it's problematic: "Marginalized people know full well the long history of white people calling themselves allies while doing nothing to help." The safety pin may be construed as nothing more than an empty gesture without any real action behind it.

Regardless, it's a move toward solidarity, and that may just be a start. Now, if you see people posting photos of their pins, along with the hashtag #SafetyPin, you know why. Scroll through to see a few that have been populating our feeds, then grab one of your own to help spread the message.