One of the biggest, and most famous, Facebook community groups to come out of the election will become a book — and it all started with a woman wearing a pantsuit.
Pantsuit Nation founder Libby Chamberlain announced the news to the private page’s three million members on Monday evening. The group, named after the trouser and jacket ‘pantsuits’ Hillary Clinton wore on the campaign trail, began as a 30-person “grassroots” movement to incite change, but quickly turned into one of the largest communities of progressive women (and their male allies).
Members use Pantsuit Nation to share their concerns over the election or to organise and execute action plans. In many cases, they tell their own personal trials and tribulations with sexism, racism and homophobia.
One member made international headlines after she posted a photo of herself and Hillary Clinton walking in the woods a few days after the election.
Ms Chamberlain, 33, wrote that the book will be authored by the members and be for the members.
“As I’ve said a few times, I believe Pantsuit Nation was more important on the morning of November 9 than it was on the morning of November 8,” she wrote.
“Our charge going forward - our MISSION - is no less than to shift the course of history. And we’ll do it through stories.”
The Pantsuit Nation website already has a tab for the book which directs press inquiries to an email. Ms Chamberlain used the announcement to call out to members to email her stories they’d like to include. She said she’d reach out to others personally.
Though it’s unclear where the money made from the book sales will go, the group is also in the process of becoming a non profit organisation.
Over 32,000 members have liked her post.
“This is wonderful!!!! I've been so touched and uplifted by stories and comments,” one commenter wrote.
“Everything I've ever typed, shared or images posted are permissible and I hope others also find the courage to be included because everyone has been mostly magnificent in every possible way.”
Some members, however, are not please with the news. They’ve either left the group altogether or voiced their concerns over losing their “safe space” in the comments.
Ms Chamberlain, however, is hopeful.
“You are a force, Pantsuit Nation,” she wrote. “Let’s see if we can harness that force within the pages of a book and see it on nightstands and coffee tables all around the world. I think we can and I think it’s going to be AMAZING.”
