Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, colloquially known as AOC, is the youngest woman ever to be a congressional member and is the representative of New York City’s 14th congressional district. Describing herself as a radical socialist, she advocates for free healthcare and supports calls to defund the American policing system. She has been extraordinarily vocal in the democratic party since her victory in the 2018 primary elections and has become a headlining name in the Democratic Party’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Her most recent endeavours include mobilizing democrats across the United States to speak out and prevent the replacement of late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the Supreme Court until after the US presidential election in November.
Congresswoman AOC recently participated in the Vogue Beauty Secrets Series, where she divulged her morning beauty secrets as an active member of congress. In the video, she works through her daily routine to prepare for work in both Washington D.C. and New York City. Being an active politician during an election is time-consuming and taxing, and AOC has the added pressure to perform both as a woman and the youngest person in congress. In her beauty routine, AOC explains the effect of her bold choice of red lip colour and its lasting impression on her door-to-door campaigning in 2018. Furthermore, her striking outfits and makeup made her a memorable candidate. For a young Latina woman in congress, being seen and remembered is a political statement all on its own – a statement that challenges the centuries-old perception of what a professional legal figure should look like.
In her Vogue video, AOC discusses the politics of makeup in a corporate setting, pointing out that on average, women who wear makeup earn more than those who do not. This inter-female wage gap arises from promotions and starting wages, both based on societal perception that a glammed-up woman is more “put together” than one who is not. Through this example, AOC provides insight into navigating the corporate world as a young, female politician. She notes that “[makeup] becomes less about choice and more about patriarchy,” suggesting that if women alter their appearance to appear more attractive to men, they are more likely to succeed. She later adds that her iconic red lip not only makes her memorable but gives her confidence. It is time to decimate the notion that intelligence and beauty are mutually exclusive qualities. The choice to wear makeup is not frivolous, but instead a show of confidence and progressive ambition.
AOC took her seat in congress at age 29. She is consistently belittled and discriminated against based on race and gender by several of her opposing congressmen, yet she continues to show up. Not only does she show up in congress for the people at the core of the American democracy, in particular the Queer, Black and Indigenous communities, she also shows up for herself with a remarkable and truly inspiring bravery. Whether it be barefaced or with a full face of makeup, AOC is continually reclaiming a personal ritual that has been vilified as superficial and vain, and naming it as a political statement.