Feminists burned bras at the 1968 Miss America protest
| Feminists burned bras at the 1968 Miss America protest | |
|---|---|
| FALSE | |
| "Feminist protesters burned their bras outside the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City in 1968, giving rise to the term "bra burners."" | |
| Domain | Culture, Religion & Society |
| Tactic | Fabrication False Context |
| Era | Historical |
| First seen | 1968 |
| Origin | A New York Post article by Lindsy Van Gelder previewing the September 7, 1968, protest, which compared it to draft-card burning, followed by widespread repetition in media and popular culture |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-27 |
| Further reading: books on Culture, Religion & Society | |
The claim that feminists burned bras at the 1968 Miss America protest gave rise to the enduring label "bra burners." On September 7, 1968, members of New York Radical Women and other activists protested the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, arguing that it objectified women. They threw items they regarded as symbols of oppression, including bras, girdles, high-heeled shoes, false eyelashes and magazines, into a "Freedom Trash Can." Organizers had considered setting the contents on fire but did not, partly because of a city fire regulation and concern for the boardwalk. No bras were burned. A New York Post reporter, Lindsy Van Gelder, had written before the protest that bras might be burned, comparing the action to the burning of draft cards, and the image stuck.
What the evidence shows
- Organizers' accounts. Robin Morgan and Carol Hanisch, among the organizers, said that nothing was burned. Police had asked protesters not to set fires on the wooden boardwalk.
- Van Gelder's article. Van Gelder later said her story had mentioned bra burning as an analogy to draft-card burning and that she was surprised it became accepted as fact.
- Later events. There may have been isolated instances of bras being burned at other later protests, but the 1968 event that made the term famous did not include it.
- Use of the term. "Bra burner" became a widely used label, often used to mock or dismiss feminists.
Why it persists
The image was vivid and easy to remember, and it captured the spirit of the protest era. Critics found it useful for portraying feminists as extreme or frivolous, while some supporters embraced it as a symbol of rebellion.
Lessons for readers
- A reporter's speculation can become remembered as fact.
- Labels can be used to caricature social movements.
- Check participants' accounts of what actually happened.
- Vivid images outlast nuanced descriptions.
See also
- Starbucks red cups declared war on Christmas
- Marie Antoinette said "Let them eat cake"
- The welfare queen was a common figure
Sources
- Carol Hanisch, "What Can Be Learned: A Critique of the Miss America Protest" (1968).
- Lindsy Van Gelder, "The Truth About Bra-Burners," Ms., September/October 1992.