Coat hangers have served as a symbol for back-alley abortions
in the abortion rights movement.
        A friend of mine was wearing a badge showing a coat hanger in
a circle with diagonal slash through it. A salesperson in a clothing
store said to her "What a great badge! I hate wire hangers too."
        Coat hangers have been used as a substitute for broken car antennas,
and for a great many other purposes too. I think some Calder wire
sculptures were made of them.
        Grace Seiberling