The congresswoman, who – shock, horror! – appears to own a nice coat, represents a new generation who’ll wear and say what they like

‘Conservatives don’t really care about what Ocasio-Cortez is wearing. They care that she is so comfortable in her own skin.’ Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

The Week in Patriarchy is a weekly roundup of what’s happening in the world of feminism and sexism. If you’re not already receiving it by email, make sure to subscribe.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s wardrobe is an affront to feminism and socialism

Like many people I was very excited about congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to begin with. She’s a smart, strong, charismatic woman of colour with genuinely progressive values. She’s a big reason that socialism is growing more popular in America. What’s not to like?

Well, I’ll tell you what’s not to like: her clothes. Despite being a self-proclaimed woman of the people, Ocasio-Cortez stubbornly persists in wearing very nice clothes. She always looks incredibly professional and well put together. She even – and this will shock you – appears to own a jacket and a coat.

I would never have believed Ocasio-Cortez could be so extravagant myself, but I saw the evidence with my own eyes. On Thursday Edie Scarry, a reporter for the Washington Examiner, tweeted a picture of Ocasio-Cortez walking down a corridor at work, taken stealthily from behind.

Scarry wrote: “Hill staffer sent me this pic of Ocasio-Cortez they took just now. I’ll tell you something: that jacket and coat don’t look like a girl who struggles.” That was a snarky reference to the fact Ocasio-Cortez has said she can’t afford an apartment in DC because she won’t receive her congressional salary until she’s inaugurated in January.

Scarry’s creepy, patronizing tweet has now been deleted because it was, quite rightly, subject to intense mockery and immediately got turned into a meme. It got Ocasio-Cortez’s attention, though. She tweeted, in response: “If I walked into Congress wearing a sack, they would laugh and take a picture of my backside. If I walk in with my best sale-rack clothes, they laugh and take a picture of my backside.”

Ocasio-Cortez is spot on: there is nothing that she could wear that would make conservatives happy. The likes of Scarry and Fox News are obsessed with talking about Ocasio-Cortez’s wardrobe choices because it’s a way to belittle her. A way to put her in her place and remind her she may be a congresswoman but, to them, she’s just a “girl”. The policing of women’s clothing has, after all, always been a favourite tool of the patriarchy.

Ultimately, of course, conservatives don’t really care about what Ocasio-Cortez is wearing. They care that she is so comfortable in her own skin. It terrifies them. And it should. Ocasio-Cortez represents the changing face of America. She represents a new generation of diverse American women who will wear what they like and say what they like. And that leaves people like Scarry quaking in their Brooks Brothers boots.

Betsy DeVos don’t look like a girl who struggles (except with morals)

NBC News has reported that billionaire education secretary Betsy DeVos is being provided with an armed, around-the-clock security detail that no other cabinet member gets. Her beefed-up security could cost taxpayers $19.8m through September of 2019.

Great work, Betsy! Photograph: Matt Rourke/AP

Don’t think your taxes are being wasted though – DeVos is busy doing very important work. On Friday she released new rules governing campus sexual misconduct allegations. Her rewrite of the guidelines narrows the definition of sexual harassment, and bolsters the rights of those accused of sexual misconduct. Great work, Betsy!

We must do better by indigenous women

A new report by the Urban Indian Health Institute has identified 506 cases of missing and murdered American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls across 71 cities in North America. Three hundred and thirty of these cases were since 2010. Ninety-five percent of these cases were never covered by national or international media. What’s more, the report notes that the 506 number is probably a gross undercount as there is a dearth of data on indigenous communities.

Rape trial sparks thong protests in Ireland

A teenager’s underwear was used as evidence that she might be sexually promiscuous during a recent rape trial in the Irish city of Cork. “You have to look at the way she was dressed,” the accused lawyer’s said of the complainant. “She was wearing a thong with a lace front.” The 27-year-old man accused was subsequently found not guilty. The trial triggered protests across Ireland this week. Many women carried items of underwear and chanted slogans like “My little black dress does not mean yes.” Women also posted pictures of their underwear on social media with hashtags #IBelieveHer and #ThisIsNotConsent.

Keep abreast of the latest cleavage news

Victoria’s Secret, the purveyor of mediocre lingerie and male fantasies, has been having a bad week, with its CEO leaving the company over criticism about its lack of diversity. Profits are also falling as it fails to keep pace with athleisure-inspired lingerie trends. Millennials are apparently looking for comfort rather than cleavage. Jess Cartner-Morley has a fun piece on the rise of “quiet cleavage” here.

Your period app is watching you

Vox has an interesting piece on the rise of “menstrual surveillance”. Period-tracking apps, it says, are great for “great for men, marketers, and medical companies” but perhaps not so good for women. On that note, have a bloody good weekend.