# Women showing cleavage at work **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 17, 2016, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155 "2016-09-17T13:58:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2016, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155/41 "2016-09-18T23:45:22Z")
Male and I voted for “a little is okay no matter what”, and I do mean a _little_. Definitely less revealing than a daring cocktail dress, but moreso than a conservative one. The closest equivalent for males that’s within the realm of possibilities these days is shorts, which I assume is equally distracting for both genders depending on its length, cut, and the wearer. I’d be okay with slightly above the knee shorts for both genders, no matter what profession, at least as far as distractions go. I guess an equivalent for males would be sleeveless shirts, which are distracting not because they are sexual but because they expose underarm hair. If a male wore a sleeveless shirt, I wouldn’t be distracted by it if they shaved their armpits. Now, all this doesn’t mean that I think a person of either gender dressed in shorts and a clean-shaven tank top would look _professional_, just that I don’t think the dress should be discouraged on distraction grounds, nor would I try to not frequent places that had such things. As opposed to _very_ revealing dresses, which I would avoid if it happened all the time. (Of course, if she were in the top .1% in attractiveness I might frequent the place _more_ but few people are attractive enough to overcome my awkwardness.) ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155/42 "2016-09-19T00:12:47Z")
Man, near 60, warehouse. Some is fine with me but when it gets to the point that a forklift driver runs me over I take objection. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155/43 "2016-09-19T00:24:51Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > The gender dichotomy in the poll results so far are interesting. > > At least right now, “cleavage is never appropriate/professional” is tied for _first_ with “it depends …” among _women_ answering, while that same “cleavage is never appropriate/professional” is solidly _last_ among _men_ answering. > > Meanwhile last place for women by far is “a woman can be appropriate/professional no matter how much she shows” which men answer second most, after “showing a little cleavage is usually ok.” > > Huh. Men are generally thinking some cleavage showing is fine and many think that women should shows as much as they want. Anywhere anytime. It’s fine! In the name of not being sexist, of course. Who’d have guessed? > > And yeah, women tend to not think so so much. > > These are shocking results! Yeah, reading this thread it made me roll my eyes that defending a woman’s right to bare as much skin as she’d like is supposed to be the _non_-sexist response. Anyway, I’m another woman who doesn’t think that any of the poll choices really fits my attitude. I feel like women should be able to reveal cleavage, as long as she doesn’t whine about people taking her less seriously, like I personally do people of either sex who show up to work in flip-flops. You’re an adult, you can wear what you want, but it’s childish to do what you want and then get upset that other people have opinions about it. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155/44 "2016-09-19T02:24:17Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > Will the next poll be on the inappropriateness of women showing leg below their skirts? > [@DSeid](#): > > Men are generally thinking some cleavage showing is fine and many think that women should shows as much as they want. Anywhere anytime. It’s fine! In the name of not being sexist, of course. Who’d have guessed? I think a lot of time could have been saved, if male Dopers, instead of participating in this thread, had just looked at themselves in the nearest mirror and been thoroughly ashamed. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155/45 "2016-09-19T02:43:25Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Men are generally thinking some cleavage showing is fine and many think that women should shows as much as they want. Anywhere anytime. It’s fine! In the name of not being sexist, of course. Who’d have guessed? Well, most respondents have not given their reasoning. And if it was, for many, simply “I like seeing boobs,” that would not have to _be_ sexist either, in itself. Sex_ual,_ yes, but for modern grown-ups that needn’t be the same thing. > [@elfkin477](#): > > Yeah, reading this thread it made me roll my eyes that defending a woman’s right to bare as much skin as she’d like is supposed to be the _non_-sexist response. Whereas you find constraining a woman’s choices, or denigrating her for her appearance, to be superior. ---
**Author:** ![amijane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@amijane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amijane)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155/46 "2016-09-19T08:31:12Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > when it gets to the point that a forklift driver runs me over I take objection. I hope you take your objection to the forklift driver rather than the object of distraction. I have E cup boobs. They’re going to show themselves off in some manner no matter what I wear. I also sometimes allow a glimpse of bare ankle to show if I’m wearing cropped pants in the summer, but trust those around me to be able to control themselves. Guess I could try out a burka? Seriously, they’re just boobs. I don’t believe that a person’s ability to catch a glance of mine impacts in any way on _my_ professionalism. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155/47 "2016-09-19T11:05:25Z")
It depends on the circumstances/industry. I work in a fairly large complex full of engineers, scientists, technicians, and support staff. It’s a _very_ conservative atmosphere. Clean cut, business dress, short hair on men, no exposed tattoos. The female engineers & scientists all dress like nuns for the most part. They know they would not be taken seriously if they showed much skin, including cleavage. Some of the female support staff are more… showy. The younger ones turn heads when they walk down the hall. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155/48 "2016-09-19T12:19:44Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > … Whereas you find constraining a woman’s choices, or denigrating her for her appearance, to be superior. Out of curiosity, where did you even imagine **elfkin477** saying that? ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155/49 "2016-09-19T13:33:29Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > The gender dichotomy in the poll results so far are interesting. > > At least right now, “cleavage is never appropriate/professional” is tied for _first_ with “it depends …” among _women_ answering, while that same “cleavage is never appropriate/professional” is solidly _last_ among _men_ answering. > > Meanwhile last place for women by far is “a woman can be appropriate/professional no matter how much she shows” which men answer second most, after “showing a little cleavage is usually ok.” > > Huh. Men are generally thinking some cleavage showing is fine and many think that women should shows as much as they want. Anywhere anytime. It’s fine! In the name of not being sexist, of course. Who’d have guessed? > > And yeah, women tend to not think so so much. > > These are shocking results! I believe the answer to the poll is highly correlated to whether you view the issue in terms of ideology (sexism, women’s autonomy etc.) versus practical reality. I suspect the gender breakdown would be different between those answering the poll versus those actually posting (the latter tend to be more ideological). ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155/50 "2016-09-19T14:13:41Z")
Somehow most of humanity can go to the beach and not cause auto accidents or run into poles. I don’t see what the big deal is about the office. If someone is wearing attire appropriate for their profession then why the issue? > [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > My other problem (I’m a teacher) is mothers coming to talk to me about their kids and showing more than they should in such a circumstance. We’re sitting across a table and they bend over the test, or notebook, or whatever. Averting your eyes is impossible, you have to continue explaining how the answer was wrong or whatever. If it’s truly impossible for you, that it’s good that you don’t have to teach middle school and high school girls. (Most of) the rest of us who do have somehow learned to keep our eyes on the paper, not down their shirts. Boobs are not absolute magnets. Yes, it takes a bit of work, but your eyes are trainable. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155/51 "2016-09-19T14:20:28Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > Somehow most of humanity can go to the beach and not cause auto accidents or run into poles. I don’t see what the big deal is about the office. If someone is wearing attire appropriate for their profession then why the issue? “Appropriate attire” is exactly the question being asked. And as for the beach example, it only serves to show there are limits. I can’t go to work in speedos no matter how hot it gets. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155/52 "2016-09-19T15:03:22Z")
I’m not even sure what “some cleavage” means. It’s possible to pereceive the woman has breasts? That’s a hard one to hide. How far down is “cleavage”? A person’s professional attire depends on the job. What would be kind of weird on a lawyer would be practically modest for a hostess in a trendy restaurant. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155/53 "2016-09-19T15:22:07Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Out of curiosity, where did you even imagine **elfkin477** saying that? She mocked the idea that “defending a woman’s right” to dress herself was the non-sexist position. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155/54 "2016-09-19T15:33:32Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I’m not even sure what “some cleavage” means. It’s possible to pereceive the woman has breasts? That’s a hard one to hide. How far down is “cleavage”? > > A person’s professional attire depends on the job. What would be kind of weird on a lawyer would be practically modest for a hostess in a trendy restaurant. I’m assuming “some cleavage” is a long way from “time to rouge the nipples” and more towards “you can tell a woman has breasts.” ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155/55 "2016-09-19T16:12:35Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I’m not even sure what “some cleavage” means. It’s possible to pereceive the woman has breasts? That’s a hard one to hide. Not sure if there’s some subtle meaning to this that I missed. But it seems pretty obvious when people refer to “showing” cleavage that they’re referring to having something which is identifiably part of a woman’s breast uncovered. The fact that breast are hard to hide in the sense that their shape can be identifiable through clothing is not part of “showing cleavage”. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155/56 "2016-09-19T16:56:09Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > Yeah. I’m a bit surprised at the response so far. Will the next poll be on the inappropriateness of women showing leg below their skirts? I dare say a lot more workplaces find it inappropriate for men to show up with bare legs than they do for women. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155/57 "2016-09-19T17:20:19Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Not sure if there’s some subtle meaning to this that I missed. But it seems pretty obvious when people refer to “showing” cleavage that they’re referring to having something which is identifiably part of a woman’s breast uncovered. The fact that breast are hard to hide in the sense that their shape can be identifiable through clothing is not part of “showing cleavage”. Well, is this cleavage? [The Wall Street Journal - Breaking News, Business, Financial & Economic News, World News and Video](http://www.wsj.com/specialcoverage/women-in-the-workplace) (Its Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook Any of these women showing cleavage: [ELLE's 2016 Women in Tech](http://www.elle.com/culture/tech/a35725/women-in-tech-2016/) These women: [http://raconteur.net/women-mean-business](http://raconteur.net/women-mean-business) ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155/58 "2016-09-19T17:25:47Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > Well, is this cleavage? [The Wall Street Journal - Breaking News, Business, Financial & Economic News, World News and Video](http://www.wsj.com/specialcoverage/women-in-the-workplace) (Its Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook > > Any of these women showing cleavage: [http://www.elle.com/culture/tech/a35725/women-in-tech-2016/](http://www.elle.com/culture/tech/a35725/women-in-tech-2016/) > > These women: > > [http://raconteur.net/women-mean-business](http://raconteur.net/women-mean-business) I don’t want to get into a nitty-gritty analysis of whether this or that photo is “showing cleavage”. I don’t see how the answer to that question would change anything as to this thread. That said, I would note in general that ISTM that female executives who get highlighted in various magazines tend to dress less conservatively in such photos than ordinary business attire. But regardless, that’s neither here nor there. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155/59 "2016-09-19T17:43:31Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > I don’t want to get into a nitty-gritty analysis of whether this or that photo is “showing cleavage”. I don’t see how the answer to that question would change anything as to this thread. It seems to me that defining what the subject is about is a rather important issue. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155/60 "2016-09-19T17:47:34Z")
But the “nitty-gritty” is where women get dismissed at work for, on one hand, being too sexual, or, on the other hand, being too frumpy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-showing-cleavage-at-work/766155.md?page=4)