A year after the Fearless Girl statue first appeared at Bowling Green, in the Financial District of Manhattan, New York City, gun legislation activists have made a powerful statement by slinging an AR-15 (the gun made infamous by its continued use in school shootings) around the shoulders of the female child statue. A year ago, this statue was erected to draw attention to equality between the sexes in the workplace. The statue,

dubbed Fearless Girl, boasted a plaque, which read, “Know the power of women in leadership. SHE makes a difference.” This time, however, the activation holds no explanatory plaque – there is only the addition of the terrifying weapon across the back of a child. The message, it would seem, needs no explanation; our children have access to guns. The statue stood for progress and potential. She stood for the hope that all female children in particular can enjoy in a society determined to provide equal opportunities for all in the workplace. The point being made now is what possible future can our children have if they are gunned down before they have any opportunity at all? This activation is designed to make us imagine the trauma should one of our own be involved in such a

situation. Whatever your reaction, the message is clear; we are robbing our children of the future for which this statue has proudly stood.

Activists are determined to draw attention to the current gun legislation they decry as irresponsible citing the latest mass shooting in the US occurring two weeks into February 2018. By which time there had already been eight school shootings in US schools with this one resulting in seventeen people confirmed dead, fourteen of which were school children.

Almost to the day, the Fearless Girl statue was erected in support of equality, progress and potential. It would seem that a year on, she has something more to say. Fearless Girl joins the ranks of her classmates currently rising up across North America in protest against gun violence.