Dress codes are a show of respect

To the Times:

I was appalled to read the heading “Are suit jackets oppression?” on March 28, page 16. Apparently, a “sneaker-clad Latino state senator in Rhode Island” objected to his chamber’s jacket and dress shirt as a “form of white oppression.” Really! Politicizing maskwearing wasn’t enough, now dress codes are being politicized as well.

Proper dress codes should be enforced not only in the Senate chambers, but in an office work environment, on TV shows and places of worship. Enforcing dress codes should not be viewed as sexist or racist. It’s not merely judging that a person’s sartorial choice reflects the person’s work ethic or piousness. It’s not a fashion statement. It’s more of a respect for the institution, be it the Senate chambers or place of worship, and respect for your colleagues in a work place.

People dress appropriately for funerals and weddings, as they should, as certain amount of respect is required. There are certain places to wear sneakers, sweats, T-shirts, sleeveless tops and flip-flops. For females to don plunging necklines, miniskirts and overly tight tops have no place in the aforementioned environments. For males, wearing a necktie is not always necessary, but a necktie should not be seen as a symbol of a “colonial noose” as a Maori lawmaker puts it. Sen. Gordon Rogers, a Republican, supports proper attire in the chamber; Sen. Louis DiPalma, a Democratic, asserts that enforcing proper dress code and decorum is “about respecting an institution that is 200-plus years old” and “not about judging how anyone looks.” Well said.