Kim Campbell was Prime Minister of Canada for a little over four months in late 1993. She was was the first, and to date, the only female prime minister of this country. In addition to being a politician, she’s been a diplomat, a lawyer, a university lecturer and a writer, but when it comes to fashion, I think she’s a little out of touch!

Campbell created a furor this week when she posted this on Twitter.

Bare arms undermine credibility and gravitas and are demeaning to women? Really? How ridiculous and archaic!

Campbell is hardly a prude, nor is this the first time she’s created a hullabaloo over bare arms. The first time, however, they were her own. In 1990, the then Minister of Justice posed for a bare shouldered photo while holding her judicial robes in front of her.

Some considered it quite scandalous, but I think the photo is rather artistic and I like what it was meant to symbolize. Ms. Campbell recently tweeted that it represented “the juxtaposition of bare shoulders (femininity) and legal robes (male dominated power structure).” Apparently it was also intended to symbolize the law as protection for women.

I’m having a hard time reconciling a woman who championed those values with one who thinks that bare arms are degrading to women! As I said, perhaps she’s just a little out of touch.

Personally, in my younger years, I was self-conscious about showing off my arms because I felt that they were too skinny. It wasn’t until I was almost 40 and started to work out with weights that I felt comfortable going sleeveless. Now it’s my favourite look for summer. In fact, I can hardly wait for our long Canadian winter to come to an end so I can begin wearing them again.

What about you? Do you go sleeveless? Do you think that sleeveless dresses are unprofessional or demeaning to women? I’d love to know your opinion.