Commentary examines double standard on women politicians’ dress
Commentary examines double standard on women politicians’ dress — confirmed details at this stage for Phuket readers.
A commentary published Saturday drew attention to the scrutiny faced by women politicians over clothing, using recent criticism of MP Rukchanok Srinork’s sleeveless dress in Parliament as a fresh example. The article, dated May 9, linked the debate to wider patterns in Thailand and abroad, with Phuket included here only as geographic context for readers following Thai politics.
Research finds media coverage drives the damage
The piece cited a 2014 Social Science Quarterly study by Dianne Hayes and Jennifer Lawless, “Who Cares What They Wear?”, which found clothing itself did not directly affect election outcomes. It said negative media coverage of dress did have an impact, and that the effect was significantly stronger for women.
The article argued that women in politics face a narrower range of acceptable presentation. Dressing too simply, too elegantly, too femininely or too neutrally can each trigger a separate line of criticism that shifts attention away from policy and onto image.
A second study, published in the Journal of Language and Social Psychology in 2022 by Andrea Richards and Ronald Ricemu, tested reactions to the same aggressive speech delivered by the same female politician. Viewers who saw her in pink rated the speech as less aggressive and more acceptable than viewers who saw her in another color.
Clinton and Thai women politicians cited as examples
The commentary pointed to Hillary Clinton as a prominent international case, noting a 2007 Washington Post style column that examined her neckline in detail. It also cited criticism in 2016 after she wore an Armani jacket priced at nearly $12,500 following her New York primary win.
By contrast, it said, Bernie Sanders’ campaign clothing drew little extended analysis, while Barack Obama’s light gray suit in 2014 quickly faded as a story. Donald Trump’s consistently overlong neckties likewise did not prompt sustained questions about governing ability.
In Thailand, the article listed four women politicians whose appearance became recurring material for public debate: Yingluck Shinawatra, Pannika Wanich, Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Rukchanok. It said Yingluck’s style coverage coincided with reports that she spent more than 109 days abroad over more than 700 days in office.
Source: https://www.matichon.co.th/article/news_5710284
