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Tennessee Rep. Justin J. Pearson has clapped back at Republicans for seemingly criticizing his decision to wear a dashiki in the state Capitol.
According to the HuffPost, Pearson faced GOP criticism after donning a dashiki on the House floor as he was sworn in as a state representative last month. The lawmaker said wearing the dashiki was a way of "paying homage to the ancestors who made” his election possible, per WMC-TV.
However, a number of House Republicans appeared to disapprove of his garment choice.
Tennessee Rep. David Hawk (R) recalled last week an interaction he had with late Black Democrat and former speaker pro tempore Lois DeBerry, hinting at how officials should dress in the House. Hawk said DeBerry once reminded him that he should never enter the House floor without a tie.
“We honor Lois DeBerry’s memory by how we look and how we treat each other and how we give the respect we hope to get back. I still, to this day, keep an extra tie in my drawer,” Hawk said.
Following Hawk's remarks, Pearson tweeted that he'd been attacked for his decision to wear a dashiki.
"We literally just got on the State House floor and already a white supremacist has attacked my wearing of my Dashiki. Resistance and subversion to the status quo ought to make some people uncomfortable," Pearson wrote on Twitter last week.
In response to the tweet, the Tennessee House GOP Twitter account suggested the lawmaker "explore a different career opportunity" if he didn't like the decorum "rules."
“If you don’t like rules, perhaps you should explore a different career opportunity that’s main purpose is not creating them,” the tweet reads.
According to reports, there are no written "rules" regarding decorum in the House. Decisions on decorum and attire are usually left up to the House Speaker.
Spokesperson for Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R) said wearing a tie and coat is part of a House "precedent" set by DeBerry.
“The speaker will continue to follow the precedent and the path established by Ms. DeBerry to honor her and her incredible legacy within our legislative body,” Sexton told CNN.
Pearson came back and criticized Republicans for wielding DeBerry's legacy over matters of attire.
“If they actually care about Lois DeBerry’s legacy, let’s see them put forward legislation for justice,” Pearson said.
“Whether that be folks who want to wear drag or people who have different abilities or people who want to read certain books, taking power over people’s agency is a theme of this body,” he continued.
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