ABC News journalist fights for her 'right to bare arms' in Australia's Parliament

This outfit got journalist Patricia Karvelas kicked out of Federal Parliament in Australia. Photo / Twitter

A female journalist was kicked out of Parliament in Australia for showing too much skin.

Patricia Karvelas said she'd been told to leave Parliament during a question time session because "you can allegedly see too much skin" in the top she was wearing.

Karvelas, a presenter for ABC News, was wearing a short-sleeved top.

People on social media have jumped to her support, calling the decision to remove her from Parliament a "joke".

This is my controversial outfit #auspol pic.twitter.com/8Ve0ZTYEtl

— PatriciaKarvelas (@PatsKarvelas) December 3, 2018

The journalist posted a photo of herself in the "controversial outfit". She told ABC News that she was told by a "polite" attendant that she was showing 'too much shoulder" and needed to "cover up more".

Twitter users pointed out the "double standard" with side-by-side photos of Karvelas and Julia Bishop showing bare arms in Parliament last Monday.

Julie Bishop last Monday. @PatsKarvelas this Monday. pic.twitter.com/HSJlyAzbAR

— Airlie Walsh (@AirlieWalsh) December 3, 2018

The Australian Parliament's "bare arms rule" has long been a topic of debate and Karvelas had already been ejected another time for the same reason.

Twitter users think it's time to change, with people calling on Australia to create "its own second amendment, the right to bare arms".

While I acknowledge the wonderful solidarity being shown to Patricia Karvelas (incl. numerous offers of a jacket), the degrading, insulting patriarchal sexism of this decision beggars belief. It demeans the intelligence and professionalism of women. This is just wrong #qt #auspol

— Peter Murphy (@PeterWMurphy1) December 3, 2018

Lucky my bare arms and I were only teaching teenagers today and not in the press gallery... @PatsKarvelas pic.twitter.com/nAzSgDG8cV

— Elizabeth Saunders 👩🏼‍🔬 (@E_R_Saunders) December 3, 2018