Female lawmakers wore sleeveless dresses and tops Friday in protest of Capitol Hill's long-standing dress code. (Photo: Twitter)
Jul 14, 2017
In between votes on Friday, Representative Jackie Speier led a protest demanding that women on Capitol Hill finally be given the right to bare arms.
\u201cThank you to all my colleagues who joined me for #SleevelessFriday -- because women have the right to bare arms!\u201d— Jackie Speier (@Jackie Speier) 1500046794
The California Democrat took to Twitter to call for her female colleagues to wear sleeveless dresses and tops for "Sleeveless Friday," after a reporter was kicked out of the House chamber last week for wearing an outfit that showed her arms.
\u201cCalling on all Members of Congress to join me tomorrow on the House Floor for #SleevelessFriday because women have the right to bare arms!\u201d— Jackie Speier (@Jackie Speier) 1499981990
Lawmakers are required to wear "appropriate business attire during all sittings of the House," and the rules have been extended to reporters covering Capitol Hill. Despite the loosening of dress codes in many American workplaces in recent decades, especially during summer months, sleeveless outfits have been off-limits for women in Congress.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) participated in Speier's protest and tweeted her own photo, while several other congresswomen expressed their support.
\u201cThe House dress code must be updated to respect a woman's right to bare arms - #SleevelessFriday\u201d— Jan Schakowsky (@Jan Schakowsky) 1500055914
\u201cWhen will the Speaker's Lobby dress code allow sleeveless dresses? This is 2017, not 1817\u2014women have a right to bare arms! #SleevelessFriday\u201d— Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (@Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard) 1500056181
\u201cProud to join my colleagues for #SleevelessFriday! It's time to modernize the dress code here at Cap. Women have the right to #BareArms!\u201d— Rep. Lois Frankel (@Rep. Lois Frankel) 1500051531
Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) supported the effort and tweeted at Paul Ryan, who as the House Speaker has the power to enforce and change the decades-old House dress code. In a press conference Thursday, Ryan said members, staffers, and congressional reporters should "look for a change on [the dress code] soon."
\u201c@SpeakerRyan ...But it\u2019s 2017 and women vote, hold office, + choose their own style. Time to update House Rules to reflect the times! #SleevelessFriday\u201d— Congresswoman Chellie Pingree \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Congresswoman Chellie Pingree \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1500047146
Rep. Speier noted that some male lawmakers were also supportive of the demonstration.
\u201cSeveral men wore short sleeves and gave us great support today for #SleevelessFriday -- including @RepCicilline @RepLowenthal https://t.co/NM1mxTGM4d\u201d— Jackie Speier (@Jackie Speier) 1500050733
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
In between votes on Friday, Representative Jackie Speier led a protest demanding that women on Capitol Hill finally be given the right to bare arms.
\u201cThank you to all my colleagues who joined me for #SleevelessFriday -- because women have the right to bare arms!\u201d— Jackie Speier (@Jackie Speier) 1500046794
The California Democrat took to Twitter to call for her female colleagues to wear sleeveless dresses and tops for "Sleeveless Friday," after a reporter was kicked out of the House chamber last week for wearing an outfit that showed her arms.
\u201cCalling on all Members of Congress to join me tomorrow on the House Floor for #SleevelessFriday because women have the right to bare arms!\u201d— Jackie Speier (@Jackie Speier) 1499981990
Lawmakers are required to wear "appropriate business attire during all sittings of the House," and the rules have been extended to reporters covering Capitol Hill. Despite the loosening of dress codes in many American workplaces in recent decades, especially during summer months, sleeveless outfits have been off-limits for women in Congress.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) participated in Speier's protest and tweeted her own photo, while several other congresswomen expressed their support.
\u201cThe House dress code must be updated to respect a woman's right to bare arms - #SleevelessFriday\u201d— Jan Schakowsky (@Jan Schakowsky) 1500055914
\u201cWhen will the Speaker's Lobby dress code allow sleeveless dresses? This is 2017, not 1817\u2014women have a right to bare arms! #SleevelessFriday\u201d— Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (@Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard) 1500056181
\u201cProud to join my colleagues for #SleevelessFriday! It's time to modernize the dress code here at Cap. Women have the right to #BareArms!\u201d— Rep. Lois Frankel (@Rep. Lois Frankel) 1500051531
Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) supported the effort and tweeted at Paul Ryan, who as the House Speaker has the power to enforce and change the decades-old House dress code. In a press conference Thursday, Ryan said members, staffers, and congressional reporters should "look for a change on [the dress code] soon."
\u201c@SpeakerRyan ...But it\u2019s 2017 and women vote, hold office, + choose their own style. Time to update House Rules to reflect the times! #SleevelessFriday\u201d— Congresswoman Chellie Pingree \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Congresswoman Chellie Pingree \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1500047146
Rep. Speier noted that some male lawmakers were also supportive of the demonstration.
\u201cSeveral men wore short sleeves and gave us great support today for #SleevelessFriday -- including @RepCicilline @RepLowenthal https://t.co/NM1mxTGM4d\u201d— Jackie Speier (@Jackie Speier) 1500050733
In between votes on Friday, Representative Jackie Speier led a protest demanding that women on Capitol Hill finally be given the right to bare arms.
\u201cThank you to all my colleagues who joined me for #SleevelessFriday -- because women have the right to bare arms!\u201d— Jackie Speier (@Jackie Speier) 1500046794
The California Democrat took to Twitter to call for her female colleagues to wear sleeveless dresses and tops for "Sleeveless Friday," after a reporter was kicked out of the House chamber last week for wearing an outfit that showed her arms.
\u201cCalling on all Members of Congress to join me tomorrow on the House Floor for #SleevelessFriday because women have the right to bare arms!\u201d— Jackie Speier (@Jackie Speier) 1499981990
Lawmakers are required to wear "appropriate business attire during all sittings of the House," and the rules have been extended to reporters covering Capitol Hill. Despite the loosening of dress codes in many American workplaces in recent decades, especially during summer months, sleeveless outfits have been off-limits for women in Congress.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) participated in Speier's protest and tweeted her own photo, while several other congresswomen expressed their support.
\u201cThe House dress code must be updated to respect a woman's right to bare arms - #SleevelessFriday\u201d— Jan Schakowsky (@Jan Schakowsky) 1500055914
\u201cWhen will the Speaker's Lobby dress code allow sleeveless dresses? This is 2017, not 1817\u2014women have a right to bare arms! #SleevelessFriday\u201d— Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (@Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard) 1500056181
\u201cProud to join my colleagues for #SleevelessFriday! It's time to modernize the dress code here at Cap. Women have the right to #BareArms!\u201d— Rep. Lois Frankel (@Rep. Lois Frankel) 1500051531
Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) supported the effort and tweeted at Paul Ryan, who as the House Speaker has the power to enforce and change the decades-old House dress code. In a press conference Thursday, Ryan said members, staffers, and congressional reporters should "look for a change on [the dress code] soon."
\u201c@SpeakerRyan ...But it\u2019s 2017 and women vote, hold office, + choose their own style. Time to update House Rules to reflect the times! #SleevelessFriday\u201d— Congresswoman Chellie Pingree \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Congresswoman Chellie Pingree \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1500047146
Rep. Speier noted that some male lawmakers were also supportive of the demonstration.
\u201cSeveral men wore short sleeves and gave us great support today for #SleevelessFriday -- including @RepCicilline @RepLowenthal https://t.co/NM1mxTGM4d\u201d— Jackie Speier (@Jackie Speier) 1500050733
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.