Philadelphia Prosecutor Ends Skirt Rule
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/s...433690,00.html

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The district attorney who ordered female prosecutors to wear skirts or dresses to work instead of pants has reversed the policy she instituted 12 years ago.

``I'm not stuck in any time warp. I'm a forward-thinking, open-minded person,'' said Lynne Abraham, 62, who started the dress code in 1991, saying crime victims and their families expected a professional demeanor.

A hiring strategies panel in June recommended changing the rule after finding that women in law school expected to be able to wear pantsuits to work.

Abraham also said the change was ``a reaction to fashion realities.''

I am curious to hear the thought of our female members on the fact that there was a rule like this at all. What do you think about this?

Think what you will of this, but a skirt suit is more professional than a pant suit. IMO. This has nothing to do with showing more leg, although that can be an added advantage. No matter the size and shape of a women, I think a skirt suit looks more professional.

__________________
Jason
Lynn Swann 06'

"Individualism is absent when other peoples' standards, not reality and reason, are ones primary guide."

while tht may be true, blob, it is not grounds for a rule. perhaps there was unprofessional dress in 1991? can't imagine why else to make a rule. seems kind of nitpicky. maybe they were wearing cargo pants to work.

I can't see any reason why any women's dresscode should require wearing a skirt. What about equal rights for men and women? It just seems like a way out-dated requirement.

Welcome to the millennium, Lynne Abraham! Perhaps in her day, skirts and dresses seemed "appropriate". In fact, it was ridiculous then, it's ridiculous now.

What in the hell difference does it make what a woman wears as long as she is doing her job? It's not about so-called "professional attire"; it's about men liking to look at legs and women buying into that particular piece of male chauvinistic bull$#!+ for far longer than they should have in the first place.

__________________
- We must be the change we wish to see in the world -
Mahatma Gandhi

it matters what i wear to work? i can't wear spandex and a wife beater to work (that's an ugly thought.) I agree in principle that it should not be dictatd bu I'd stop short of saying it doesn't matter what women wear. it bothers me when women dress for work like they are dressing for a club. most of men in the office are far less creative and the rules allow for far less flexibility. still, it surprised me there was still a rule.
of course, not every company is not like the one i work for. dress rules have been more relaxed for the women for far longer than the men.

(snip)
Welcome to the millennium, Lynne Abraham! Perhaps in her day, skirts and dresses seemed "appropriate". In fact, it was ridiculous then, it's ridiculous now.
(snip)

Actually, I think it was meant as a clear statement that women had arrived as equals in the legal profession. Something comperable to admission at VMI?

(snip)
What in the hell difference does it make what a woman wears as long as she is doing her job?
(snip)

Depends on whether it matters to her? I remember having this exact conversation as a 1L. One of the girls in my class was quite annoyed that she'd have to get a skirt suit or find a skirt to match her pant suits. Again, I believe that the reason for the skirt was to make a statement that women were present in the DA's office.

(snip)
It's not about so-called "professional attire"; it's about men liking to look at legs and women buying into that particular piece of male chauvinistic bull$#!+ for far longer than they should have in the first place.
(snip)

Well, short kilts didn't seem to prevent that pack of St Marioa Goretti girls from being quite effective in kicking the crap out of some perv.

Chauvinism isn't the same as dressing to show a belief it can be more like muslim headcoverings, or Amish head coverings- done to show you're a member of a religious community; comparable to showing that a lawyer is part of a female community.

What if, hypothetically, Temple's black studies department instituted a dress code where professors were not to wear western suits. Would that be "cultural chauvinism"?

Hal

Never mind...sigh.

Why am I not at all surprised that I'd get a hard time from all the men in here?

Apparently, you're not really interested in knowing how women truly feel about an issue that affects only them. Boys will be boys.

Have at it, gentlemen. I'm gone.

__________________
- We must be the change we wish to see in the world -
Mahatma Gandhi

(snip)
quote="fivetonine"
Why am I not at all surprised that I'd get a hard time from all the men in here?
(snip)

Because we're not surprised when a woman changes her mind- and don't see it as a big deal. Wow, a woman changes her mind about what to wear - attorney or not, that's not exactly unusual, right up there with Jersey chicks having big hair, south philly guys driving a camero, or main line residents driving a saab.


(snip)
Apparently, you're not really interested in knowing how women truly feel about an issue that affects only them.
Boys will be boys.
(snip)

No, we know how the only woman who matters - the District Attorney- truely feels- so it's a pretty short discussion. Sorry, have to file "are skirts suits were more professional than pants suits?" right up there with "do black patent shoes reflect up?"

And I'd have to skewer the "boys will be boys" idea- especially when the reality is girls will be bosses. For the last several years, the Philly metro area District Attorneys have mostly been women. In the five county area, 3 DA's were women- Bucks County has Diane Gibbons, City of Philadelphia has Lynne Abraham, and Chester or Delaware County also had a woman District Attorney- who recently passed away due to cancer.

I'd note that the skirts vs pants decision comes from a lady DA who had been known as a hanging judge prior to being a DA - This isn't Bill Clinton requiring his female staffers to wear thongs and Daisy Duke's or bull market hemlines-

This is a gruff, tough DA requiring a literal dress code-

If you really believe that an outfit that exposes ankle, calf and knee is basically "male driven", then why do nuns wear dresses? And why do those nuns require your average Catholic school girl to wear those plaid kilts or green dresses?

Hal

Hal -

I'm responding because I didn't want you to think I didn't see your message.

But I already said I'm done here. I don't argue with Neanderthals. Yes, I'm kidding.

__________________
- We must be the change we wish to see in the world -
Mahatma Gandhi