Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Wore Hoop Earrings to Her Inauguration Proving Women Can Occupy Space Just as We Are
For a lot of women of color —Latinas and black women especially — hoop earrings holds a lot of cultural significance. With that said, it unfortunately also comes with a ton of criticism and negative stereotypes. It’s for that reason many of us at some point in our lives found ourselves hesitant to wear them

Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Franmarie Metzler; U.S. House Office of Photography
Lip+hoops were inspired by Sonia Sotomayor, who was advised to wear neutral-colored nail polish to her confirmation hearings to avoid scrutiny. She kept her red.
Next time someone tells Bronx girls to take off their hoops, they can just say they’re dressing like a Congresswoman. https://t.co/eYN5xYFcTE
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 4, 2019
I wore all-white today to honor the women who paved the path before me, and for all the women yet to come.
From suffragettes to Shirley Chisholm, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the mothers of the movement. ⬇️ https://t.co/GBfSSYxbek
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 4, 2019
https://www.instagram.com/p/BsQu3j4BtZA/
Lip+hoops were inspired by Sonia Sotomayor, who was advised to wear neutral-colored nail polish to her confirmation hearings to avoid scrutiny. She kept her red.
Next time someone tells Bronx girls to take off their hoops, they can just say they’re dressing like a Congresswoman. https://t.co/eYN5xYFcTE
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 4, 2019
@AOC wore hoops earrings to her swearing-in and this really really matters to me in a way I can’t fully explain
— oscar wilde’n out (@maharajaz) January 4, 2019
the red lipstick (which she has always rocked) & gold hoops mean so much to so many latinas told to “tone it down” (I still get nervous to rock this combo in immigration court #nolie) 😭😭😭 it’s hard to put into words but @AOC we see you 😭😭😭 https://t.co/m9U0KIE96v
— 🦋🦋🦋 (@s_phia_) January 4, 2019