Red Gloves

The Red Gloves are a mandatory component of the Handmaid uniform, issued along with the red dress, white wings, and red shoes. They are made of red fabric and are worn whenever the Handmaid leaves the house, covering her hands completely. The gloves are part of the regime's system of enforced modesty and invisibility, designed to prevent the Handmaid from being seen as an individual or from engaging in any form of physical contact that might be considered improper. Offred puts them on each time she goes out, pulling them onto her hands "finger by finger" . The gloves are also a practical tool: they conceal the Handmaid's hands, which might otherwise reveal her identity or intentions, and they prevent her from touching anything that might be considered contaminating or dangerous.

Use and Function

The Red Gloves serve multiple functions within the Gileadean system. They are a visible sign of the Handmaid's status, marking her as a woman whose body is dedicated to reproduction and whose hands are not her own. When Offred goes shopping, she wears the gloves, and they are part of the uniform that makes her indistinguishable from other Handmaids. The gloves also enforce physical distance: when the Japanese tourists try to take a photograph, Ofglen tucks her "red-gloved hands up into her sleeves, to hide them" , a gesture that underscores the regime's prohibition on being seen or touched. The gloves are also a reminder of the Handmaid's lack of agency: they are not chosen but prescribed, and they are part of a uniform that reduces the wearer to a function.

Material and Maintenance

The gloves are made of red fabric, likely cotton or a synthetic blend, and are part of the standard issue that Handmaids receive. They are washed and reused, like the rest of the uniform. Offred notes that after the Ceremony, she puts on her "red terrycloth robe" and later dresses again, including the gloves. The gloves are not a luxury item; they are a utilitarian part of the uniform, designed to be durable and to withstand repeated wear. The regime does not provide hand lotion or other cosmetics, as such things are considered vanities, and the gloves help to protect the hands from the elements and from the wear and tear of daily life.

Symbolic Significance

The Red Gloves are a symbol of the Handmaid's subjugation and her role as a vessel for reproduction. They are part of the uniform that marks her as property of the state, and they prevent her from engaging in any form of physical intimacy or contact that might be considered improper. The gloves also serve as a reminder of the regime's control over every aspect of the Handmaid's body, including her hands. Offred's desire to touch something, to feel human contact, is frustrated by the gloves, which act as a barrier between her and the world. The gloves are also a tool of resistance: by hiding her hands, the Handmaid can conceal her emotions and her intentions, and she can use the gloves to protect herself from the regime's scrutiny.

Connection to Resistance

Despite their function as a tool of control, the Red Gloves also become a site of small acts of resistance. Offred uses the gloves to hide her hands when she is nervous or when she wants to avoid being seen. She also uses them to conceal small objects, such as the match she receives from Serena Joy, which she hides in her sleeve. The gloves are a reminder that even the most mundane objects can be repurposed for resistance, and that the Handmaid's body, even when covered, can still be a site of agency. The gloves are also a symbol of the Handmaid's shared experience: all Handmaids wear the same red gloves, and this uniformity creates a sense of solidarity among them, even as it erases their individuality.