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A Cornell University student stripped off in the middle of her thesis presentation after her professor remarked on the length of her shorts.

Letita Chai, a student at the New York Ivy League school, took off her clothes during her thesis presentation which she live-streamed on Facebook on Saturday.

She claims one of her teachers warned that her denim shorts were "too short" earlier in the week.

The student added that at the time she was wearing denim shorts and a blue button down shirt.

Some students in the class stood by their teacher and said she was actually referring to the "important of professionalism in certain public speaking situations."

Miss Chai wrote on her Facebook page that professor Magor asked her: "What would your mom think?" and told her that her clothing choice was making a statement.

The student told the class that her protest was to "fight oppressive beliefs."

Footage from the incident was live streamed on her thesis Facebook page and has been watched over 30,000 times.

In the video, Miss Chai said that the comments from her professor had made her question her appearance "for the comfort of others. "

She added: "The only question this has led me to ask is how much longer we need to put up with this nonsense."

Miss Chai told the class that she had received an overwhelming number of supportive messages after posting her version of events online.

She said: I ask us to come together today not to succumb to a level of resentment, vengeance and of hatred, rather I ask us to come together with a incompassion."

The student then started to take her clothes off telling the class: "I am more than Asian, I am more than a woman, I am more than Letitia Chai. I am a human being. And I ask you to take this leap of faith, to take the next step in this movement and join me ito revealing each other and seeing who we truly are, members of the human race."

Other members of her class joined her by removing items of clothing.

Professor Magor told the Cornell Sun: 'I do not tell my students what to wear, nor do I define for them what constitutes appropriate dress.

'I ask them to reflect for themselves and make their own decisions.'

After the story was shared online, students from Miss Chai's class issued a joint letter which explained that the professor's words were not the best choice however she was actually referring to the "importance of professionalism in certain public speaking situations."

They said they stood by their teacher who they referred to as a "gift to Cornell" and added that Miss Chai had unfairly represented the professor in her comments online.