A now-former employee of J.C. Penney in Sioux Falls, North Dakota was sent home after only ten minutes of being at work for wearing shorts that were “too revealing.” The best part —she purchased them in the J.C Penney career style section!
Sylva Stoel, 17, told Today that she was approached by a supervisor and was asked if anyone spoke to her about the dress code at orientation. He also inquired how long it would take her to go home and change her outfit before returning to work, which is when Stoel quit. She stated,
“I bought [the shorts] thinking they were pretty professional. They didn’t show anything other than my legs, which I don’t think is too provocative.”
Stoel then went to Twitter to vent about the whole ordeal. She posted a photo of her outfit that was deemed inappropriate, and the report reveals it was technically not dress code.
Boss sent me home for wearing “too revealing” shorts that I bought from the store I work at in the career section. pic.twitter.com/vrAnN4beC2
— Sylva (@queenfeminist) July 24, 2015
Stoel states that the dress code was never discussed in her job orientation and starts a Twitter rant on female dress codes.
Dress codes benefit patriarchy bc they shame women for “dressing provocatively” and absolve men from all blame. Break the dress code.
— Sylva (@queenfeminist) July 28, 2015
Good dress code rules: no gang attire, no explicit imagery, no pajamas… Bad dress code rules: no female shoulders, legs, bra straps…
— Sylva (@queenfeminist) July 28, 2015
The rules were made by people in power. If the rule only benefits the ppl currently in power and not all of society, you can break the rule.
— Sylva (@queenfeminist) July 28, 2015
2 Comments
I hate to say it, but I think the girl made a bigger deal of this than it really is. Shorts aren’t professional or really socially acceptable to wear to work for men and women. She should’ve had the common sense to know that. :/
That’s absolutely crazy considering she bought them in the career style section.