A Kansas Senator has banned women who are testifying on bills from wearing any provocative attire that may cause distraction to the proceedings. However, no wardrobe restrictions are being imposed on men.
ABC News reports that Senator Mitch Holmes, the Republican chairman for the Senate Ethics and Elections Committe, has introduced an 11-point code of conduct that brands "low-cut necklines and miniskirts" as inappropriate for women who are due to testify.
The senator says he has observed that women who wear provocative clothing while testifying are a distraction to the Senate committee.
According to CBS News, a group of bipartisan women senators are up in arms over Senator Holmes ban. They cannot stress strongly enough that "no chairman should place gender-specific demands on those inspired to share thoughts on public policy with any legislative committees".
This ban prompted Democratic Sen. Laura Kely to exclaim: "Oh, for crying out loud, what century is this?"
Republican Sen. Carolyn McGinn was also quoted as saying: "I am more interested in what they have to say about the direction our state should go than what they're wearing that day."
Sen. McGinn also told The Star Tribune that people may be deterred by testifying if they do not have clothes that meet Sen. Holmes criteria.
However, Wichita Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau, the ranking Democrat on the Senate's Election and Ethics Committee agrees that people testifying should dress presentably and professionally but she was put off by the glaring inconsistency between the guidelines for men and women.
Senate President Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican, predicts that the committee will reconsider the dress code at its next Wednesday meeting.
Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensle, a Topeka Democrat pointed out the irony of the dress code came from a committee that should be more concerned about violations of campus finance than wasting time on what women are wearing.
