For decades, Fox News has been criticized for the revealing and overly feminine style they have demanded of their female anchors. The network officially denies requiring any particular dress code. But many former employees report facing pressure to prioritize short skirts, push-up bras, and high heels over professional integrity or personal comfort. So, in this article, let’s have a look at why do female fox news anchors wear short skirts.
Why do female fox news anchors wear short skirts?
Fox News anchors might wear short skirts for a few reasons, but the truth is probably complicated.
Personal choice and style preferences
Some anchors may just personally like how short skirts look and feel and choose to wear them because they find them comfortable and flattering.
Maybe they see other successful women wearing short skirts and want to emulate that style. We all make fashion choices based on what we like, after all.
Employment requirements and culture
Former Fox News employees say there was pressure to look a certain way according to the network’s expectations. They claim that at Fox News, women were required to wear short skirts, high heels, heavy makeup, and even dye their hair blonde to meet the preferences of the mostly male executives and viewership.
The anchors who refused these demands faced punishment, harassment, and even threats to their careers, these ex-employees allege.
Fox News denies officially mandating any dress code policy. But when there are so many similar reports of the same sexist culture from multiple women who used to work there, it’s hard not to believe that even without a policy, the expectations to prioritize looks over all else became an unwritten rule.
They have especially given the other harassment and abuse reported against Fox News leaders like Roger Ailes.
Rating strategy
Some speculate that Fox News also deliberately promoted short skirts to boost ratings by attracting male viewers with the anchors’ legs, even though Fox News says this was not the motivation. Again, their denials are hard to take at face value, given the pattern of behavior described.
Complex and personal reasons
For any particular anchor, their reasons were probably complex and personal. But considering the context of the culture at Fox News, personal choice alone does not seem sufficient to justify short skirts without accounting for pressures, manipulation, and coercion. The notion of choice assumes more power and freedom than many former Fox News women claim they had.
In the end, we may never know exactly why any individual anchor at Fox News chose to wear short skirts or did not. But between personal preference, unrealistic demands, and deliberate exploitation, the possibilities seem more troubling than empowering based on available evidence.
The most well-supported conclusion seems to be that Fox News prioritized men’s gazes over women’s humanity, not women’s empowerment.
Is there a dress code for Fox News anchors?
Fox News denies having any official dress code policy requiring short skirts or specifying how anchors should dress. However, they acknowledge anchors mostly wear professional, conventional attire like suits, dresses, skirts, and heels.
In practice, Fox News does seem to favor and enforce a specific aesthetic among female anchors focusing on femininity, revealing styles and beauty over practicality or diversity of self-expression. A “house style” of short sheath dresses, skirts, high heels, and heavy makeup has been described.
Fox News claims this conservative yet revealing style is intended to appear “more professional and attractive”. But there are reasonable doubts regarding whether it prioritizes legitimacy, qualifications, or the role over maximizing femininity and male gazes. The lines of professionalism seem blurred.
Former anchors feel pressure to maintain this aesthetic against their preferences or judgment regarding suitability, taste, or comfort. Punishment for non-conformity was a risk, suggesting some measure of unofficial enforcement. The choice may have been limited.
Unrealistic standards of Fox News
Providing a clothing allowance ostensibly to support this style suggests it is a priority and expectation, not merely a matter of personal choice or expression. Anchors would likely rely substantially on the options provided to ensure appropriate conformity.
There are valid reasons to believe Fox News prioritized an unrealistic standard of beauty, sexuality, and objectification over true professional integrity, credibility, or suitability in practice, even if not by official policy. Professionalism seems questionable, given accounts of the culture and pressures.
Nuance remains regarding the intent, limits of choice, constraints versus preferences, and the complex realities of how inappropriate expectations are shaped and enforced without outright policies. But abuse and manipulation seem the most well-evidenced conclusions, not empowerment.
In summary, while Fox News denies an official dress code policy, enough context and accounts exist to reasonably question whether professional standards of integrity, legitimacy, and diversity were honored or superficially embraced to defend against critique and claims of sexism.
The aesthetics, pressures, and harassment described seem more suited to objectification than professionalism or empowerment. But nuance regarding intent and constraints versus choice continues to be necessary to consider all complex realities at play.
How has the dress code at Fox News evolved over time?
Fox News says they changed their rules about how female anchors dress in 2012. Now they claim there’s no rule about what women have to wear. Anchor women can even wear pants sometimes.
But Fox News still really prefers when anchors wear dresses and skirts. And they want anchors to look “attractive,” not just professional. Some argue this is sexist and outdated. Others say it’s just Fox News’s style.
Reasonable doubts remain
There’s reason to believe Fox News hasn’t really changed, even as their rules relaxed. Anchors still have to keep up that “identical” look of short skirts, high heels, hair, and makeup that Fox News is known for. Personal style still seems limited by unspoken pressure to meet a certain standard.
Objectification over empowerment
Though the short skirt rule may be gone, it’s clear Fox News still cares more about looking hot than being professional or empowered. Multiple women say they faced trouble for refusing to prioritize short skirts, hair dye, and push-up bras. Their stories suggest subtle punishment and limits on choice, not real empowerment or diversity.
Fox News claims anchors can choose, but evidence points more to shaping pressure than real freedom or dignity. Objectification seems to be the guiding principle, not integrity or suitability for the job. Sexism remains problematic even when coded as “preference” or “style.”
While Fox News’s policies have changed in name, the culture they’ve allowed likely continues to cause damage. Nuance is key to realizing that policies and the pressure must change to remedy real harm, not just criticism. Empowerment cannot bloom amid the constraints of an unrealistic standard.
In short, the short skirt rule is gone, but the attitude likely remains. Anchors may wear more pants but still must maintain that sexy, identical look. Style over substance seems firmly entrenched in Fox News’s history and brand. Though policies adapt, the roots of sexism have endured.
FAQ
What is the controversy surrounding the dress code at Fox News?
The controversy surrounding the dress code at Fox News is that it has been criticized as sexist and outdated. In the past, Fox News had specific dress codes that every employee was expected to adhere to, and the dress code for female employees was often criticized for being attractive. The channel’s female anchors are often seen wearing short sheath dresses and stilettos, which have become part of the Fox News “look.”
Do Fox News anchors get a clothing allowance?
Some news anchors receive a clothing allowance or budget for an on-air wardrobe, but the specific policies and practices regarding clothing allowances at Fox News are unclear.
Who is the richest Fox News anchor?
Judge Jeanine Pirro is currently the highest-paid female anchor on Fox News, earning $3 million annually. In 2018, cheatsheet.com claimed that Sean Hannity was the richest Fox News anchor, with a net worth of $250 million.
Do Hoda and Jenna wear their own clothes?
Fans get to choose one outfit for the star and her co-host Jenna Bush Hager each week on Today with Hoda and Jenna.
How much does a local weather woman make?
In a small market, TV weather forecasters may make around $35,000 for weekend evenings and a morning/noon shift, while in a large market, the salary could be as much as $100,000 or more. The starting salary for meteorologists and hydrologists within the National Weather Service is approximately $30,000 annually. As of April 25, 2023, the average annual pay for a weather reporter in the United States is $56,808 yearly, equivalent to $27.31 an hour.
