My new hero and heroine

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I have a brand new hero and heroine in my life, and neither one is old enough to vote. Amy Myers is a high school sophomore who has challenged Minnesota representative and Tea Party loyalist Michelle Bachman to a debate and public test on the Constitution, U.S. history, and civics.

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Myers says Bachmann's frequent errors, misstatements and distortions aren't just bad for civic discourse.

They are bad for women.

"Though politically expedient, incorrect comments cast a shadow on your person and by unfortunate proxy, both your supporters and detractors alike often generalize this shadow to women as a whole," Myers writes.

“It took until the 19th amendment for women to be able to vote, and now it seems like the most famous women in politics are kind of jokes. You've got Christine O'Donnell, who's best known for her reputation as being a witch, then Sarah Palin, and the controversy with her and the shooting in Arizona, and then you've got Bachmann."

See what I mean?

My new heroine.

As for my new hero, please say hello to Chris Whitehead, the 12-year-old who wore a skirt to school to protest against rules which ban boys from wearing shorts.

Making a stand: Chris, who is in year 8, has said he is outraged by the shorts ban and hopes to have it overturned

Whitehead (and Dicks) say that it is unfair that girls can change into skirts during the hot weather while boys must suffer in long pants.

I’ve always contended that dress codes are discriminatory. Women can often get away with wearing a tee-shirt, skirt and sandals in many professional environments while men are required to wear pants, a collared shirt and a necktie.

I find these rules to be inequitable, arbitrary, artificial, narrow minded, archaic and stupid.

I also find it amusing that in the heat of the summer, men are required to wear more clothing than normal while attending formal events like weddings, and as a result spend much of the time sweating profusely while simultaneously attempting to shed their required layers. At the same time,  women tend to wear hardly any clothing at all to these events (at least in comparison to their everyday dress), and often end up shivering  inside air conditioned dining rooms with their spouses jackets draped around them.

This makes no sense.

Chris Whitehead agrees, and he did something about it.

Something that I had thought about doing for years and never had the courage.