Women In Politics: Why Are We So Focused On What They Wear?

By Madinatou Diallo on March 17, 2013

 

Michelle Obama wearing her new bangs

In the United States, if you are a woman in politics, what you wear and how you style your hair might matter more than your policies and work. Throughout her political career, Hillary Clinton has been excessively criticized for her fashion style. When I googled ‘Hillary Clinton and Fashion’, I received about 13,600,000 results in exactly 0.35 seconds. However, when I googled ‘Hillary Clinton Political Career”, about 7,390,000 results showed up in approximately 0.38 seconds. This means that there has been more written about her fashion than her policies. Why is this? Is her fashion sense more important than her policies? Why limit her importance to fashion? Why does what she wears matter at all? What her husband, former president Bill Clinton, wears seems to matter to no one.

For the past four plus years, whenever First Lady Michelle Obama steps out, journalists never fail to mention what she is wearing and how her hair is styled. Most writers would rather spend more words on her fashion sense than anything valuable that she’s done. In fact, if you were to Google her name, “Michelle Obama Bangs” is the third option that is recommended. Responding to critiques of her appearance at the recent Oscar Awards, Michelle herself said: “Shoot, my bangs set off a national conversation. My shoes can set off a national conversation. That’s just sort of where we are. We’ve got a lot of talking going on.” I agree with her. However, why do we spend so much time talking about her dress, shoes, and hair when there are other major issues to talk about? Why don’t we instead talk about her campaign to end child obesity, Let’s Move!?

Hillary Clinton in one of her many blue suits. Notice the short man-like haircut.

As a senator, Hillary Clinton was negatively criticized for her ‘bad’ fashion sense. Over the years, she has gone through a lot of change, from the way she dresses to the way she wears her hair.  Despite her many efforts to fit into the ‘right’ styles, she is still under the eye for the ‘wrong’ fashion choices. The fact that what she wears matters, the fact that she should have to worry about the outfit she’ll wear to a meeting with, say a foreign diplomat, is not only troublesome for a woman in her position but outright sad for the American people. Shame on you critiques! And shame on the public for reading such nonsense!

Not only is it sexist that the focus on these two powerful ladies is mainly put on their ability to dress well or not, it is very ridiculous and disgusting. If you ask me, Let’s Move! is a great campaign and judging by statistics on child obesity in the US, it is very much needed and crucial. There should be less focus on Mrs. Obama’s bangs and more attention on Let’s Move!. Stop writing about useless stuff and give attention to what actually matters!

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