text: An Italian activist and artist has asked women to express their thoughts on gender violence by writing them down - on their underwear. In What Kind Of Man Are You?, AleXsandro Palombo is hoping to send out a more serious message with his latest work, as he asks women to share their thoughts on machismo by writing them on pairs of pants and sharing via social media. In the #briefmessage campaign, women hold up their often hard-hitting statements to the camera, sometimes staring boldly into the lens, and sometimes hiding behind the knickers. Italian activist and artist aleXsandro Palombo has turned his hand to photography for his latest project, 'What Kind Of Man Are You?' The illustrator is hoping to send out a more serious message with his latest work, as he asks women to share their thoughts on gender violence by writing them on pairs of pants and sharing via social media . And Palombo says the response has been 'immediate and powerful'. He said: 'Gender violence is a serious problem that can only be overcome through cultural and social education. 'Men must rebel against machismo and fight strongly gender violence. We must do it constantly and relentlessly. 'We need stronger law to fight violence against women.' The #briefmessage campaign to fight violence against women is an opportunity for women - and men - to share their feelings about machismo and violence in 2015 . Palambo says the response has been 'immediate and powerful' The messages, written by Italian women in a combination of English and Italian, range from the rather cheeky 'My balls [sic] bigger than yours' to the very simple 'No Rape'. Some are statements of defiance, lots focus on the perpetrator being weaker than the victim. One woman holds out her pair with the phrase, 'I'm not an object I'm a subject', another reads, 'I teach my son respect'. Another participant, making a stand against domestic violence, holds the statement: 'Never let the hand you hold, hold you down.' Other stark messages include: 'Weak men beat women', 'violence is weakness disguised as strength, and 'women are warriors, lose the abuser'. He says: 'Gender violence is a serious problem that can only be overcome through cultural and social education . 'Men must rebel against machismo and fight strongly gender violence. We must do it constantly and relentlessly,' says the artist . Many men have joined the social media campaign holding up their pants with phrases such as 'I'm a feminist' and 'women are not objects' emblazoned on them. AleXsandro Palombo is a contemporary artist known for irreverent and colourful art that often draws attention to controversial issues. Previous projects have included an 'anti anorexia' campaign featuring skeletal drawings of style icons Kate Moss and Alexa Chung, and a collection of famous female cartoon characters suffering the effects of domestic violence. To see more messages, visit humorchic.blogspot.it. The messages, written by Italian women in a combination of English and Italian, range from the rather cheeky to the very simple . Some are statements of defiance and lots focus on the perpetrator being weaker than the victim .
target: AleXsandro Palombo has created #briefmessage social campaign .
  Italian artist asked women to write a message about violence on their pants .
  He says the response has been 'immediate and powerful'