California Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier has called on other female members of Congress to participate in “Sleeveless Friday,” a sleeveless-dress initiative designed to stand with women reporters who have been kicked out of Speaker Paul Ryan’s lobby for their attire.
Earlier this month, a reporter was removed from the speaker’s lobby for wearing a sleeveless dress, as Ryan’s preferred dress code for the House bans shoulder-bearing. The reporter even attempted to use ripped notebook pages stuffed into her shoulder openings as sleeves but was still denied entry.
This is real. Fellow female reporters barred from Speaker's lobby for wearing sleeveless dresses while doing their jobs. (It's hot in DC) 🙃 https://t.co/8evY6wQmA8
— K Tully-McManus (@ktullymcmanus) July 6, 2017
Speer’s office said she and “several of her colleagues are standing in solidarity with women reporters who were recently admonished for ‘inappropriate attire’ in the Speaker’s lobby…”
Calling on all Members of Congress to join me tomorrow on the House Floor for #SleevelessFriday because women have the right to bare arms! pic.twitter.com/OK4JKgXIH1
— Jackie Speier (@RepSpeier) July 13, 2017
And that they did. Just before noon ET, the congresswomen documented their sleeveless success with a photo on the East Capitol steps.
Thank you to all my colleagues who joined me for #SleevelessFriday — because women have the right to bare arms! pic.twitter.com/PhMEf2v4ZP
— Jackie Speier (@RepSpeier) July 14, 2017
As it stands, House dress code rules require women to wear “appropriate attire,” while men must wear a coat and tie. These rules, however, have been sparingly enforced and defined by whoever is the current speaker of the House. Ryan announced Thursday that he and the House Sergeant at Arms will work to update the outdated dress code standards for the House chamber and the Speaker’s lobby.
At least we know Ryan’s in favor of some kind of sleeveless-ness, even if it might be the gym, bicep-curling variety.
H/T CBS News