Cornell Student Strips For Thesis After ‘Short Shorts’ Comment

ITHACA, NY — When her professor told Letitia Chai that her cut-off jeans were “too short” for her upcoming thesis presentation and that she would be “inviting the male gaze away from the content,” the Cornell University senior upped the ante. She stripped down to her underwear and invited others to do the same as they listened to her presentation.

The professor’s comments came during a practice run earlier this month for the thesis presentation for the class, Acting in Public: Performance in Everyday Life. Rebekah Maggor, a professor of performing and media arts, asked Chai what her parents would think of her attire.

It so happens that Chai’s mother is a feminist, gender and sexuality studies professor who has dedicated her life to the empowerment of people of all gender identities. The student wasn’t at all worried about the reaction.

Chai told the Cornell Sun that she “was so taken aback” by Maggor’s critique of her clothing that “I really didn’t know how to respond.”

“I’m going to give the best damn speech of my life,” Chai initially responded, then stripped down to her bra and underpants and walked into the theater where the practice runs were taking place and gave her thesis in her underwear, according to screengrabs of her Facebook posts.

Then, she organized a protest for the following Saturday, May 5, that was captured in a Facebook Live video. Twenty-eight of the 44 of the students showed solidarity by shucking their outerwear as they listened to her presentation, which dealt with refugee and host country relationships.

“The only question this has led me to ask is how much longer we need to put up with this nonsense,” Chai said in introductory remarks.

“I am more than Asian. I am more than a woman. I am more than Letitia Chai. I am a human being,” she said after removing first her shoes, then her shorts and finally her button-down shirt. “And I ask you to take this leap of faith, to take this next step, or rather this next strip, in our movement and to join me in revealing to each other and to seeing each other for who we truly are — members of the human race.”

In an emailed statement to The Sun, Maggor said she didn’t tell Chai she couldn’t wear shorts for her presentation.

“I do not tell my students what to wear, nor do I define for them what constitutes appropriate dress,” Maggor wrote. “I ask them to reflect for themselves and make their own decisions.”

In a joint statement to The Sun, 11 of the 14 students in Chai’s class said they appreciated Chai’s commitment to the issue, but thought the incident was overblown. Maggor routinely asks all students, male and female, if their clothing is appropriate attire for public speaking, they wrote.

“Our professor acknowledged the discomfort of speaking overtly about attire and perception, especially for women, and encouraged us to share our thoughts and opinions. Students began discussing their beliefs on the matter,” the statement read. “Letitia became visibly upset by our professor’s earlier comments, and after one male international student’s comment (mentioned in her post), she left the room. From the initial comments to Letitia’s exit, only a few minutes had passed, and many people were speaking at once. Tensions were high, and neither our professor nor Letitia was able to adequately defend her position.

“After Letitia left, our professor listened and agreed with many of the student’s comments and criticisms. She wholeheartedly agreed that her initial comment was about professionalism rather than the “male gaze” mentioned in the student discussion. She also apologized for her choice of words, acknowledging that the notion of “short shorts” on women carries a lot of cultural and political baggage. Unfortunately, because Letitia was not in the room, she was not able to hear these comments, and we believe this contributed to the miscommunication.”

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