From being fired for wearing heels to being called 'whores' for baring shoulders on television, we're a bit sick and tired of people commenting on the way women dress to do their job.
But this one takes this one takes the biscuit.
Earlier this week, Minnesota's KARE 11 news anchor Jana Shortal presented a segment on the tragic end to Jacob Wetterling's case (whose murderer has just confessed to 27 years after the crime).
During the segment, she was criticised for being disrespectful to the victim's family because of her choice to wear skinny jeans.
C.J., a columnist from the Minnesota-based newspaper Star Tribune, wrote a column in the publication's Tuesday paper – which has subsquently been taken offline – in which she lambasted the presenter for her attire.
'She looked great from the waist up in a polka-dot shirt and cool blazer, but the skinny jeans did not work. I was among a number of media types who found them inappropriate and, given the gravity of the day's subject matter, downright jarring,' she wrote.
Sorry, C.J., but what exactly counts as appropriate attire for reporting on unspeakably awful events on the news?
The writer then went on to claim Shortal's jeans were distracting from the subject matter.
That's true C.J., jeans are a rare and bothersome sight these days…
'My thoughts are also with the Wetterling family. While I cannot imagine they'll want to read or watch every media take about the horror they have been living, I would think that hipness wouldn't be a priority while covering one of the biggest, saddest stories in Minnesota history,' she added.
First of all, C.J. no one has used the word 'hip' since the 1970s. Secondly Shortal's clothing had nothing to do with the content. And thirdly, the presenter wasn't prioritising her attire over her job.
In response, Shortal typed an emotional post on Facebook to highlight how C.J. had irresponsibly taken the attention away from a state-wide tragedy to comment on her choice of trousers:
'I wore my clothes. The clothes it took me a very long time to feel comfortable in no thanks to the bullies like you who tried to shame me out of them.'
Unsurprisingly, she garnered a bevvy of supporters following her response to which C.J replied:
No one messes with the BeyHive.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
