Would this bare-armed woman be allowed into a public building in Jamaica? If the current dress code status quo remains, probably not. Photo by flickr user AntonSLarsson, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. Jamaica is a hot country, and with climate change it's getting hotter. On August 3, 2017, the country's meteorological service registered a record high of 36.9 degrees Celsius in Kingston, the capital. So, with all this heat, why do Jamaican women (and men) need to cover their arms (and legs, and feet) when visiting a government office or institution? Because of a set of dress codes — an issue that was recently raised on Twitter, with traditional media quickly catching on to the debate. The discussion is not at all new. In 2010, The Gleaner newspaper reported that the dress code pertaining to government entities was not even relaxed in emergencies. In one instance, this resulted in the death of a woman who “was killed minutes after she was reportedly turned away from a police station because she was instructed by a policeman to get ‘properly dressed’ before entering the station.” Several years ago, there were persistent complaints in the media, including this 2014 letter to The Gleaner newspaper, in which the writer concluded, “Perhaps Jamaica would now be First World if we stopped majoring in the minor.” Columnist Garth Rattray also noted: Even grief-stricken parents and relatives are turned away from public hospitals if they are deemed to be inappropriately attired. Most of the time, one's attire is the very last thing on one's mind when a loved one is seriously ill. It is heartless to turn away someone for wearing the same clothes that they would wear in any city capital. The dress codes for government institutions are ridiculous, hypocritical, unfair, sectarian, archaic, bigoted nonsense. It's time to get rid of them. Short of exposing private parts, I can't imagine how one's attire can influence the way that business is conducted on government property. In fact, there is no Jamaican law prohibiting sleeveless dress for men or women; but almost all government agencies have a notice on the door stating that the dress code includes (but is not limited to): strapless blouses, sleeveless blouses, tank tops, low cut blouses, short mini skirts, tube tops, shorts (for women); and shorts, slippers, low-slung pants, undershirts (for men). The list of prohibited items for women is usually longer. The discussion was revived via a Facebook post by University of the West Indies professor Verene Shepherd, which was shared on Twitter: Can we have a discussion about this nonsense colonial mindset in an independent state? @findpatria @KemeshaKelly_ @djmillerJA pic.twitter.com/nHpVGmckke — L.A. West-Blackwood (@garveygirl) October 31, 2017 There followed a slew of personal anecdotes from Jamaicans, who had visited government offices and were turned away: Went to get a yellow fever shot, after waiting 20 mins to register, was told that I couldn’t get the shot because my top was sleeveless — Melanie Schwapp (@melsdew) October 31, 2017 A friend was turned away from a govt office because he was wearing slippers while suffering from a foot ailment even with a doctor's note. — Warren Smith (@warrenlsmith_jm) November 2, 2017 Even television reporters visiting a government-run open air greenhouse were not immune: #tvjallangles went to RADA to buy seedlings… we were denied entry because one of us was wearing a sleeveless dress… — Rochelle McBean (@rocheeboo) November 9, 2017 The same television station devoted its weekly current affairs program to the topic: There are Jamaicans who are being denied services that they are entitled to because of these dress codes, says @garveygirl. Yes, a serious issue to be addressed. @djmillerJA #TVJAllAngles pic.twitter.com/RGlDLYGfpw — Susan Goffe (@suezeecue) November 9, 2017 The host of the show took the opportunity to make a “sartorial statement” in the studio: #SleevelessInStudio pic.twitter.com/utBXQBuNS4 — Dionne JacksonMiller (@djmillerJA) November 6, 2017 Some noted the double standards in Jamaicans’ adherence to — or disregard for — rules. Broadcaster and educator Fae Ellington tweeted: It's amazing how many Jamaicans are quick to utter ‘rules is/are rules’ when it's a discussion about women's sleeveless outfits but often break rules that could cause death. For example, the rules of the road. ‘Mout mek cross way if seh anyting’. #Rulesarerules — Fae A.