Audio By Carbonatix
Independent Journalism in Miami Needs You
We need to raise $10,000 by August 9 to support the reporting our community depends on. Reader support keeps us independent and is playing a larger role in funding local journalism and shaping what comes next. If you believe independent local journalism matters, make a contribution today.
Representative-elect Frederica Wilson has arrived in DC, and one of her first matters of business seems to be to overturn a rule dating back to the 1800s that forbids members of Congress from wearing hats while the body is in session. You see, Wilson simply loves hats. She is never without one. She has more than 400 of them (the 25 best of which you can see here). So she plans to ask likely Speaker John Boehner for a waiver so she can wear her hats.
“It’s sexist,” Wilson tells The Herald. “It dates back to when men wore hats and we know that men don’t wear hats indoors, but women wear hats indoors. Hats are what I wear. People get excited when they see the hats. Once you get accustomed to it, it’s just me. Some people wear wigs, or high heel shoes or big earrings or pins. This is just me.”
This is true. Boehner himself is known to wear a lovely coat of bright orange paint on his skin, so why should he stop Wilson from being able to express her style choices?
Besides, wasn’t Boehner swept in to power on a wave of Tea Baggers talking about how the Government should stay out of people’s personal business? Is Frederica Wilson not a person? Should the Government be able to forbid her from making a choice about what she wants to do with her body? Besides, I’m sure a lot of these new Tea Party senators will want to be able to wear their tin foil hats as well.
[NakedPolitics: Frederica Wilson backs Nancy Pelosi — but not the House hat ban]
