Women have a right to wear what they like, says university professor ANNA WHITTAKER 

Does it matter what people wear to work? Yes and no. Clearly, the suitability of our clothing depends to some extent on what the job is.

Someone who works with young children, plays with them on the floor, or whose job it is to physically help older people is unlikely to wear a short dress and heels.

In our modern world, where some MPs don’t wear a tie while in the House of Commons and where Gwyneth Paltrow appears in court in a cashmere sweater a mum might wear to the school run, this feels like a non-issue. should bother no one. .

But the question of what a woman should wear has suddenly involved me in a global storm on social media.

It all started a couple of weeks ago when I was in Puerto Rico for a meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society, an organization whose mission is to advance and integrate the scientific study of biological, psychological, social, and behavioral factors in health and disease.

Anna Whittaker: I chose a relatively short sleeveless Reiss dress. Also, she is quite forgiving, given that I am 45 years old. I also wore my best Jimmy Choo heels. For the reception, I put a small elegant jacket on top (in the photo of the outfit in question)

As a professor of behavioral medicine, I had given several talks and was preparing to attend a reception, which would be followed by a banquet and dance.

Proud of the work of my fellow delegates, I set out to socialize.

As the temperature on the Caribbean island was very high and I didn’t want to get too hot dancing, I chose a Reiss dress that is sleeveless and relatively short. Plus, it’s pretty forgiving, given that I’m 45.

I also wore my best Jimmy Choo heels. For the reception, I put a fancy little jacket on top.

For me, my outfit was not scandalous.

However, it was clearly outrageous to two men walking behind me as I made my way to reception. I heard them say things like ‘Oh, she always dresses like that’ in a very dismissive tone.

I turned around and looked at them in disbelief and they scuttled off in different directions.

Surprisingly, both men knew me, so they knew full well that I’m good at my job no matter what I wear.

I am a university professor working in physical activity, psychoneuroimmunology and psychophysiology, and have won several research awards.

I am a member of both the British Psychological Society and the American Psychosomatic Society, and a Senior Fellow of the Academy of Higher Education.

That didn’t seem to matter to those two men with their mocking, sexist and discriminatory insults about my dress, or maybe that was the problem…

As someone of Scottish heritage, I quietly uttered an appropriate Scottish phrase for such men: ‘Awa an bile yer heid, jealous yeejits.’

As a user of Twitter for more than ten years, considering it a useful tool for work, friendships and keeping up with the world, I decided to share my experience and posted the selfie I had taken of my outfit for my husband before going out. That afternoon.

I was hoping that maybe a couple of people in my research group would have liked it, or that a woman who had experienced something similar would have retweeted it.

I never expected the reaction you’ve had. The tweet has been viewed 1.1 million times. I wish I had that reaction to my research!

Maybe the reaction is because half the population are women and they’ve experienced something like this and they don’t feel too good about it either.

Typical of the supportive comments was this: ‘Women like you inspire and show that we don’t have to sacrifice our style and personality to be successful. Thanks for being yourself!

Another said: ‘You are a lady of a certain age and an intelligent teacher. Fly your own flag.’

‘This is really unacceptable on all levels. Very sorry!’ said another.

Inevitably, there were strange dissenting voices among the brotherhood. As another Twitter user said: “Some women love to hate other women.”

There were also comments that maybe the men were right. I responded and thanked them for their opinion and for continuing the bias.

Unfortunately, there is still a common perception that teachers are older men with beards and glasses. But I was hoping things were changing and people were more aware that maybe a teacher can be younger, female and not always wear a suit. Maybe they can also wear high heels and a nice dress and go dancing.

Why is what I, and other women of any age, wear important to other people? Is it envy? Are they jealous? As long as what someone uses is fit for purpose, it shouldn’t matter.

I often think that in academia we are lucky to be able to use what we like to a certain extent. But after what I just endured, it seems you can’t, especially if you’re a woman.

Even if some people are still struggling to get rid of an innate, outdated bias about what others should wear, I think they need to work on it or just keep their nasty views to themselves.

Most of us in our evening dresses and Jimmy Choos are making the effort…