Women In Politics Button Up For Respect

Women in politics are constantly trying to prove their worth in Washington. They are expected to fit in with the men and keep their wardrobe appropriate. But what happens when wearing a simple white button down shirt creates discomfort and unwanted male attention? Well, for Rochelle Behrens, a political lobbyist, she decided to do something about it once and for all.

Tired of buttons giving free as her buxom boobies tried to push out, she decided to make her own shirt. “The Shirt” guarantees coverage in all of the right places, allowing for a completely professional wardrobe that stays that way throughout the day. A terrific idea, but it brings up a rather sexist point.

Why must we obsess over our clothing’s appropriateness just to be taken seriously? Women have been working for years to try to get their voices heard more and more in politics, but once there is a peek at a bra they are simply playthings once again. Men of Washington get away with sex scandals, naked pictures (sometimes, Weiner), and overall douche-baggery but women are under such a harsher microscope. If women were more present and appreciated as valid individuals of politics, maybe they wouldn’t need to be obsessing over their boobies as much.

But the fact of the matter is that men will probably always see women as sex symbols, even if they are making laws and solving world hunger. And once their white shirts give a sneak into their bra selection, men will probably take it as a reminder that women are women — different from them.

Someday, maybe the world will accept women as simply senators that happen to have uteri or representatives that come with boobs. Until then, it is probably best to cover up properly, wear “The Shirt” and not give the men any reason to think less of their abilities. In politics, or in any type of business, male-dominated field, this is the sad reality.

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