The Knesset recently updated its dress code to include "short skirts", among other things, as being considered inappropriate dress.
This past week a couple of parliamentary aides wearing dresses with the skirt hem reaching above the knee were prevented from entering the Knesset, because of the dress code, They were supposedly taken aside by Knesset ushers or guards and their skirts were measured with rulers.
There is nothing wrong with the Knesset having a dress code.
If they are going to ban "short skirts", or anything else particularly vague, they should really lock that down and define what is considered a short skirt. Is anything above the knee considered short? mid-thigh? maybe even mid-calf? Maybe women entering with skirts 2 inches above the ankle should be stopped for breaking the dress code? Who is to say what is short?
As well, there must be a better way to deal with this than blocking people from entering and taking a ruler to their legs. That seems, to me, to be particularly demeaning, and even unprofessional.
And what would the ruler have told them anyway? The dress code posted on the Knesset website doesn't say anything about a specific length of skirt being allowed or banned. So whether they measured 2 centimeters, 10 centimeters, 15 centimeters, or whatever, it is a meaningless measurement. The determination of "short skirt" seems to be in the eye of some anonymous beholder..,
I don't know the solution, but the dress code has to take into account respectful dress acceptable upon society and be more specific. And people entering the Knesset premises, whether they are guests or whether they work there, need to follow the dress code.
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Many government/religious/organizational buildings have a dress code. Either observe or do not enter!
ReplyDeleteVery well said, Caren May. It seems that people, in general, feel they do not need to respect any kind of code, dress code or any code, because they can do and act as they please, even when it is public policy and proper behavior to adhere to basic ethical and moral law in the public arena.
ReplyDeleteagreed, bu tthe problem here is that the dress code is too vague. it just says short skirts but does not define what appropriate length is. and then someone else goes and measures as if it is up t him to determine what is considered short.
ReplyDeleteif you are going to write out a dress code, dont leave it so vague.