New dress code in Missouri
Female MPs must wear a jacket
By Heidi Ulrich
01/14/2023 12:06 p.m
The Missouri House of Representatives has a dress code for both women and men. Republicans, who control the House of Commons, are now tightening the dress code for female MPs. From the Democrats’ perspective, the change is sexist and “ridiculous.”
Jackets such as cardigans or blazers should cover the arms of female MPs: The House of Representatives in the US state of Missouri has tightened its dress code. However, only the dress code for women, not for men. Missouri Democrats have called the new restrictions on clothing choices sexist.
The change passed on Wednesday with the votes of Republicans, who hold a majority in the House of Representatives. It was the opening day of the new session. The rules for the Parliament Chamber could be debated every two years at the beginning of the General Assembly, writes the Washington Post.
The dress code now reads as follows: “Appropriate attire for women is business attire, including jackets worn with dresses, skirts or trousers”, and appropriate shoes or boots. The rule also requires arms to be covered in the House of Commons. The previous dress code for female MPs permitted “dresses or skirts or trousers with a blazer or sweater and appropriate shoes or boots”. Women are no longer allowed to wear sweaters in the Parliament chamber.
The rules have always required a second layer of clothing, said Democratic MP Ashley Aune on CNN. This second layer was interpreted as a blazer, jacket or cardigan, for example. However, the Republicans wanted to further limit the range of options and initially planned to only allow blazers for women, Aune explained. She accuses Republicans of restricting women. During the plenary debate, she said: “Do you know how it feels when a bunch of men in this room are looking at your shirt and trying to decide whether it’s appropriate or not?” In the House of Commons, less than a third of MPs are women.
There is also a dress code for male MPs in the plenary hall. This states that “proper attire for men should be business attire, including a jacket, tie, dress trousers and dress shoes or boots”. Without a jacket or tie, “you would be rejected immediately,” stressed Republican Congressman Ann Kelley in the debate. Men must also wear a shirt, she said. Kelley suggested tightening the dress code for women.
“Fighting for a woman’s right to choose something”
Democrats have criticized the new restrictions as sexist. For example, MP Raychel Proudie said, “Once again we are fighting for a woman’s right to choose something. This time it’s about how she dresses and the interpretation of someone who doesn’t have a fashion background”. She spent $1,200 on a suit, Proudie said. However, she cannot wear it in the plenary hall because someone who does not have the necessary judgment “tells me that it is inappropriate”. No one in the room had been elected to engage in such discussions. There are more important things. “It’s ridiculous,” stresses the Democratic MP. She also pointed out that there could be pregnant MPs who would then have to spend extra money on new clothes to comply with the dress code.
Republican Kelley originally called for female MPs to wear a blazer in the House of Representatives. Finally, a modified version of their proposal was approved, which also allows cardigans as jackets. “It’s important to always maintain a formal and professional atmosphere,” Kelly said, explaining why women MPs should wear jackets in the Chamber. Her party colleague Branda Shields said the move would only clarify the previous rules and leave less room for interpretation in the wording.