What in the 1950s is this? A reporter says she was unable to do her job because someone demanded she change her “revealing” outfit.
Alabama reporter Ivana Hrynkiw Shatara shared her story on Twitter, saying she was doing the super-fun job of watching an inmate die by execution. This is something she has done before, but someone in charge didn’t like her skirt or shoes.
“A representative of the Alabama Department of Corrections told me publicly I couldn’t view the execution because my skirt was too short. I have worn this skirt to prior executions without incident, to work, professional events and more,” she explained.
So that she could continue doing her job, she agreed to borrow a pair of “fisherman’s wader pants” from another journalist who had his rain gear on hand. She put them on and tried again.
“The ADOC spokesperson deemed this an appropriate swap for my skirt,” wrote Shatara. “Then, I was told my shoes (open toe heels) were also too revealing and I needed to change.”
The reporter swapped them out for a pair of “casual tennis shoes” she had in her car — so you can imagine how dramatic the transformation was for her.
“Despite wearing a pair of waders from a man I have never met and casual tennis shoes, I continued to do my job. This was an uncomfortable situation,” she recalled. “I sat down, tried to stop blushing, and did my work.”
Meanwhile, we’re shocked there’s an apparent dress code for watching an execution.