R Nitelight
Her Rock
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2000
- Posts
- 10,003
Little missy?
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Reuters) - South Carolina Gov. Jim Hodges called on Friday for a state investigation into an anonymous memo urging college-aged women working as statehouse pages to wear more revealing clothing and smile when they are referred to as ``babe, honey, sugar and little missy.''
The anonymous memo was issued after a caucus of women lawmakers in the closing hours of this year's legislative session on Thursday ordered the pages to stop wearing mini-skirts, low-cut blouses and ``shirts that show your cleavage'' while working in the statehouse in Columbia.
But soon after the new dress code was distributed by e-mail to statehouse staff, another memo surfaced. It was authored by an anonymous ``Men's Caucus,'' rescinded the dress code and offered ``merit pay for (pages) economizing and saving valuable materials in blouse construction.''
``Dresses should be no longer than four inches above the knee ... Undergarments are -- need it be said -- optional...(and) terms like 'babe,' 'honey,' 'sugar' and 'Little Missy' should be accepted as compliments and terms of endearment,'' the photocopied memo said.
Although the Women's Caucus said the anonymous memo was obviously released ``tongue in cheek,'' Hodges called on the state Human Affairs Commission to investigate the matter.
``I find the contents of this anonymous memorandum despicable,'' Hodges wrote. ``Moreover, I am concerned that the circulation of this memorandum might have created a hostile and offensive working environment for female employees of the House of Representatives in violation of state and federal law.''
House Speaker David Wilkins agreed the memo was ``highly offensive'' and ``in the poorest of taste,'' but dressed down the Democratic governor over his call for a state investigation.
``This is pure political grandstanding at its worst. I regret the governor has used this isolated incident to sully the good name of the House in a blatant attempt to score political points,'' Wilkins said.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Reuters) - South Carolina Gov. Jim Hodges called on Friday for a state investigation into an anonymous memo urging college-aged women working as statehouse pages to wear more revealing clothing and smile when they are referred to as ``babe, honey, sugar and little missy.''
The anonymous memo was issued after a caucus of women lawmakers in the closing hours of this year's legislative session on Thursday ordered the pages to stop wearing mini-skirts, low-cut blouses and ``shirts that show your cleavage'' while working in the statehouse in Columbia.
But soon after the new dress code was distributed by e-mail to statehouse staff, another memo surfaced. It was authored by an anonymous ``Men's Caucus,'' rescinded the dress code and offered ``merit pay for (pages) economizing and saving valuable materials in blouse construction.''
``Dresses should be no longer than four inches above the knee ... Undergarments are -- need it be said -- optional...(and) terms like 'babe,' 'honey,' 'sugar' and 'Little Missy' should be accepted as compliments and terms of endearment,'' the photocopied memo said.
Although the Women's Caucus said the anonymous memo was obviously released ``tongue in cheek,'' Hodges called on the state Human Affairs Commission to investigate the matter.
``I find the contents of this anonymous memorandum despicable,'' Hodges wrote. ``Moreover, I am concerned that the circulation of this memorandum might have created a hostile and offensive working environment for female employees of the House of Representatives in violation of state and federal law.''
House Speaker David Wilkins agreed the memo was ``highly offensive'' and ``in the poorest of taste,'' but dressed down the Democratic governor over his call for a state investigation.
``This is pure political grandstanding at its worst. I regret the governor has used this isolated incident to sully the good name of the House in a blatant attempt to score political points,'' Wilkins said.
