Summary: Kansas law makers created a rule specifically for female women who testified in court. Three years ago they created a ban on allowing women to wear low cut tops and miniskirts when testifying before state courts. Sen. Mitch Holmes defends his choice referencing the rules for witnesses testifying on elections or ethics bills. The second rule merely states that witnesses should be dressed appropriately, and says nothing to what should define what a "low-cut top" or short skirt. Laura Kelly, a democratic Kansas senator, accused the Kansas court laws to be sexist and singles out women. She talked further about how enforcing a dress code is very patronizing and very old fashioned, and further brought to life that it can be hard enough to get women to testify in court. Holmes responded by saying the rules also apply to men, they should all be in appropriate attire, and said this rule had been created after seeing a woman testify in court in a top that cut as low as to her belly-button.
Analysis: I think it is hard enough for women to testify in court as it is. While, it is not as hard to be given an opportunity to testify as it was during progressive eras of America, it can still be difficult for a woman to be comfortable testifying before a court. Keep in mind that we do not know all the court cases of which these woman would be testifying in, women could be testifying before their rapists, sex-offenders, or abusers. It is incredibly important that we not patronize these woman by assuming they do not know how to dress in court, or that they are not allowed to dress a certain way. While we like to think we left sexism back at the 19th amendment, we still carry lots of it with us today.
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