It seems President Trump has high standards when it comes to the way his staff are dressed. Looking the part is as important as acting the part when you are in the president’s circle, apparently.
But his reported requirement that his female staff “should dress like women” has provoked an inevitable backlash on social media.
According to a former Trump campaign worker, quoted in a news report by Axios, the president wants the men who work for him to wear ties and the women to dress “appropriately”.
Dresses are apparently preferred, but if a female staffer wears jeans, they must “look neat and orderly”, the publication reported.
The internet responded in a powerful way, with many using the hashtag #DressLikeAWoman.
‘Misogynistic’ remarks
Elizabeth Rooney, a police officer in Boston and army veteran, posted a photo of her in uniform.
She told the BBC: “I’ll start dressing like a woman when he starts acting like a president. I felt his remarks that women should “dress like a woman” are misogynistic and unpresidential.
“Each morning when I wake up, I dress myself in pride, honour, duty and freedom.”
The hashtag has already generated more than 130,000 tweets since early on Friday.
One of the first tweets was by @NJGirlSEliza, whose army uniform selfie has been retweeted nearly 2,000 times.
Others followed suit by posting pictures of themselves in their own work attire or of other inspirational women.
Dr Rebecca Alleyne posted a photo of herself in scrubs during surgery. She told the BBC: “I believe in social media as a change agent and a photo is an efficient means for making a point. I’ve had a very positive reaction, only one or two negatives.
“I want women everywhere to be judged on their abilities, not on what they’re wearing. I believe that, no matter who’s issuing the dress code.”
There were some voices in favour of the more gender-appropriate approach, but the majority of comments appeared to mock the remarks, which have not been confirmed as coming from President Trump, which they perceived to be sexist. BBC News