Tales from Pantsuit Nation: I Wore A Pantsuit

I wore a pantsuit to my interview when a table full of BIG LAW partners told me they were happy I didn’t have a wedding ring because I wouldn’t waste their training by becoming a mom.

I wore a pantsuit when an old white judge told me about how outrageously successful his former male law clerks were and his one female clerk was “cute as a button just like me.”

I wore a pantsuit to the Virginia bar exam even though the rules said I was to be wearing a skirt.

I wore a pantsuit to court when a client told the judge he wanted to fire me because I was a woman, and therefore too emotional to defend him from trying to honor kill his wife.

I wore a pantsuit every day I went to work for the federal government, and earned 20% less than my less qualified male counterparts.

I wore a pantsuit to work when a high ranking Bush administration official suggested I could have married well, and then I wouldn’t have to be in the room.

I wore a pantsuit when my boss told me that he never had any child care issues because his wife had the good sense to stay home to care for their children.

I wore a pantsuit every time I was mistaken for the court reporter, the secretary, or a social worker.

I wore a pantsuit every time I was asked to fetch coffee for the group at a deposition or settlement conference.

And now, I am going with my husband and my two daughters down to the library and vote for a woman who has experienced all of this and more while wearing her pantsuit. And we are going to cast our ballot for her and we will be overjoyed.

Whether or not I wear a pantsuit, we are #pantsuitnation and #imwithher.