The Centuries-Old Practice of "Slaying Lewks"

On the Media

• Episode: The Centuries-Old Practice of "Slaying Lewks"
• Website: On the Media
• Feed URL: http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia
• Duration: 00:12:59
• Published: 2018-12-05 18:00

Satisfaction at the political enemy’s hypocrisy can be so rich that partisan critics strain — sometimes absurdly — to locate it. Such is the case with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, newly elected member of Congress from New York and avowed democratic socialist.  How to prove she is a phony? Why, her clothes, of course. It’s an absurd attempt at gotcha, but not an uncommon one. Bob spoke with Einav Rabinovitch-Fox, historian at Case Western Reserve University, about the long history of media obsession with the clothing of outspoken women — in particular, the thousands of garment workers who went on strike in 1909.