A girl wearing a pussy hat at the Women's March in Washington DC. Courtesy of the Backbone Campaign. via Flickr Creative Commons

On International Women's Day, a simple pink fashion accessory made of yarn and knitting needles has assumed its place in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Home to the world's largest design and fashion collection, the V&A was called "an important acquisition" by museum curator Corinna Gardner who called it "an immensely recognizable expression of female solidarity and symbol of the power of collective action."

The specific hat now on view at the V&A was knitted by Jayna Zweiman, who co-founded (with Krista Suh) the Pussyhat Project -- branding global marches on January 21 into a sea of perky pink headgear.

Step 2 For Pussyhat Power: How About Yarnbombing America From Sea To Shining Sea? AOC Women's News

The Los Angeles-based duo worked with a local yarn shop owner Kat Coyle to develop a downloadable pattern for the pussyhat, allowing marchers around the world to create their own. The design went viral and was widely shared on social media and popular knitting community site Ravelry.

Over four million people in 600 cities reportedly joined the march, with large numbers of the demonstrators proudly sporting the feminist design, giving it astounding popular currency.

Some members of the transgender community have criticized the name 'pussyhat' -- even though Donald Trump spawned the idea with his infamous 2005 Hollywood Access tape assertions to "grab 'em by the pussy". This is the same group that has lobbied heavily to prevent Eve Ensler's 'The Vagina Monologues' from being show on campus, even though a transgender voice is now part of the play.

"I think 'pussy' refers to the female anatomical part, but it's also a word that's used to shame people who are feminine … whether they are men, women [or] genderqueer. And I think what it comes down to is that femininity is really disrespected in our society," Suh explained.

A Fearless Girl Gets Her Pussyhat

Earlier today AOC introduced you to 'A Fearless Girl' the defiant 4 ft bronze little girl facing off against Wall Street's 'Charging Bull' in Bowling Green lower Manhattan. She is part of a campaign by State Street Global Advisers to insist that corporate boards add more women. Her current visa is for a one-month stay with 'Charging Bull' but people are clamoring to give 'A Fearless Girl' a permanent place in New York's public dialogue about empowering women. Where better than in Wall Street!

Today on International Women's Day March 8, hundreds of visitors came to meet 'A Fearless Girl' to admire her and take selfies.

Sixth grade students from the local Blue School came to draw illustrations of 'A Fearless Girl' with a borrowed pussyhat.

Pussyhat Power in Switzerland

Swiss parliamentarians also took part in the knit-in organised in the House of Representatives. Keystone

In honor of International Women's Day, hundreds of people gathered in front of the Swiss parliament in solidarity of international marches. With activists calling for social and economic security for women, fair wages and decent working conditions, along with better balance between family and work, the color pink was everywhere. As a gesture of solidarity with the international women's movement, Swiss parliamentarians -- including a man or two, joined the knitting campaign.

The Swiss press reminds us of US President Donald Trump's comments, recorded in 2005, when speaking of women, Trump said "Grab 'em by the pussy. You can do anything."

"Naughty Naughty" in Scotland

MSP Christina McKelvie was called “naughty, naughty” and criticized for wearing her pink ‘pussyhat’ in the Scottish Parliament during a speech where she branded Donald Trump “disgusting” and “misogynistic”.

McKelvie donned the ‘pussyhat’ during a Scottish Government debate marking International Women’s Day. Ms McKelvie said:

“International Women’s Day is important because we have such a long way to go. In some senses, it feels like we are going backwards, especially when male MPs bark at female MPs in the so-called mother of all Parliaments and when the leader of the free world freely admits to physical sexual assault of women and passes it off as just locker-room banter."

“Trump’s actions and frankly misogynistic talk have given permission to many in the patriarchy to hark back to what we thought was a bygone age when assaulting, insulting and body-shaming women was considered just a bit of fun or some ‘locker-room talk’. Well, it is not: it is not acceptable, it is not tolerable and we will not put up with it."

“To highlight Trump’s disgusting remarks, women around the world are taking part in the pussyhat global project. They want to share, declare and wear their feminism, and why should they not? They intend to show that feminism and solidarity across the globe by wearing pink knitted hats. Only with solidarity, resilience, commitment and passion will we make this nation, the UK and the world a better place for women and girls—a place in which they feel safe, educated, valued and, most important of all, equal."