Golden Globes: Why stars are wearing Time's Up pins

From blue to silver ribbons to Planned Parenthood pins, awards show red carpets have become a place for celebrities to express their support for timely initiatives. At Sunday's Golden Globes, we're seeing a new addition: Time's Up pins. 

Stars are wearing the black-and-white accessory at the awards show to promote the sexual harassment prevention initiative of the same name launched Monday. The initiative, which is dedicated to confronting abuse of power and promoting racial and gender equality in the workplace, came in response to the sexual harassment allegations rocking the entertainment industry. Reese Witherspoon, Eva Longoria, Shonda Rhimes, Ashley Judd and Natalie Portman were among hundreds who signed an open letter pledging to support working-class women with legal help to hold wrongdoers accountable. 

More:Hollywood's A-list women launch anti-harassment initiative Time's Up

Witherspoon was the star responsible for commissioning the small-but-powerful pins, asking costume designer and stylist Arianne Phillips to design them, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 

“Reese asked me to come to the actors' group, and told me they were going to be wearing black and would I consider creating a pin for the nominees and male presenters," Phillips told the entertainment magazine. "I met so many great women, and it was such an honor to be called to action."

According to THR, Phillips sought the help of Los Angeles jewelry designer Michael Schmidt and other creatives to design the Time’s Up logo and created 500 pins in just two weeks. 

Phillips posted a photo of herself wearing the pin on her Instagram Friday. 

"Golden Globe viewing party planning y’all... let’s all toast & post in solidarity with women on the red carpet and everywhere standing up for change," she wrote in the photo's caption along with the hashtag #timesup.

Pins can also be pre-ordered on the Time's Up website for $12, the proceeds of which go to the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund. 

This isn't the only statement-making fashion choice on the red carpet this year — stars are also donning black attire to protest inequality. 

"I am wearing black today because balance and inclusion and diversity is not some kind of allowance to be made to accommodate people. No, sir. It is a correction of an error. It is a righting of a wrong. And it is going to be done. Now. #TimesUp," DuVernay tweeted Sunday.

Here are some of the stars sporting the pin on the red carpet:

William H. Macy

Justin Timberlake

Daniel Kaluuya

Kaluuya told USA TODAY reporter Bryan Alexander why he chose to wear the pin on the red carpet. "Times up. It’s time to stand by women and what they are saying," he said.

Freddie Highmore

Nick Jonas

Chris Hemsworth