Donated in 2019, this black short sleeve t-shirt is emblazoned with the slogan “Reclaim the Night”.

Reclaim the Night is a series of grassroots feminist organisations which hold regular marches to protest male violence against women. The first march was held on 12 November 1977 in Leeds UK, organised by the Leeds Revolutionary Feminist Group. Women walked the streets to protest not only the Yorkshire Ripper murders of the late 1970s but also the ridiculous response by police, urging women to stay indoors at night.

As the concept spread internationally, marches were about violence against women and street harassment at night, and grew to also include domestic and family violence.

Perth, Western Australia has a long history of Reclaim the Night marches and organisations since the 1970s. The woman who donated this shirt was one of its first organisers.

Interestingly, although Reclaim the Night is not specifically about lesbian issues, organising committees in Perth throughout its history have included a significant amount of lesbians.