As if women didn’t already have a hard enough time in our culture today, now they face scrutiny for what they wear to work. And not by men—but by other WOMEN. Is this real life Mean Girls?
According to a new study in the scientific journal Sex Roles, if a woman dressed in a way that is considered sexy and held a leadership position, she was more likely to be seen as less competent by her female peers. If a woman who dressed sexy didn’t hold a leadership position, she was not seen as less competent whatsoever.
As noted in Allure, women participating in the study were shown photos of other women in work attire who had their faces blurred out. The participants were asked to rate their perceived competence of the women in the photos. When told that women in some photos were receptionists or held lower positions, the participants did not view them as less competent, even if they wore slightly provocative clothing. But, when told women in the photos held leadership positions, participants viewed them as less competent when wearing sexier clothes.
It’s sad that women in the workforce are judged on how high their skirts are, rather than by their work abilities. It’s even worse to know that the more powerful working women were judged even more harshly, especially by fellow women! The girl world can be a cruel place, even in the workforce. Where is the love, ladies!?