Dissing Sasha & Malia Cost This Woman Her Job

In today's People Using Social Media Irresponsibly news, White House staffer Elizabeth Lauten resigned from her position on Monday, Dec. 1 after making some snippy comments about President Obama's two daughters Sasha and Malia on her Facebook page. The Washington Post reports Lauten posted the comments following last Wednesday's turkey pardoning ceremony, which the two teenagers were present for.

Her comment read:

Dear Sasha and Malia, I get you’re both in those awful teen years, but you’re a part of the First Family, try showing a little class ... Rise to the occasion. Act like being in the White House matters to you. Dress like you deserve respect, not a spot at a bar.

Granted, if you watched the ceremony, you know that Sasha and Malia did look less than amused while Obama made a bunch of dad jokes and also, you know, hung out with a massive turkey. But, outside of some standard teen angst and perhaps a bit of secondhand embarrassment, it's not as though they conducted themselves immaturely. Also, keep in mind that this is their sixth turkey pardoning, and I don't know about you, but I feel like that has gotta get old pretty quickly.

No matter how you look at it, Lauten's comments on the way Sasha and Malia were dressed are out of line. First off, the first daughters' fashion choices should not be up for comment. Especially when it comes to Lauten's comments, which have a touch of slut-shaming that I simply cannot ignore.

Neither girl looks like they should be "at a bar," and also neither of them are even old enough to go to one (Sasha is 16, Malia is 13). So bringing sex appeal into a conversation about their clothing choices is pretty messed up.

Secondly, I cannot even begin to explain how mindless you have to be to post a disparaging comment about the president's daughters on your Facebook page — which we ALL KNOW has a dubious amount of privacy — when you work. for. the. president. I'm not about taking down other women, but this was just an incredibly stupid decision, plain and simple, and Lauten should have known a lot better than to make it.

Lauten seems to have some remorse for her actions, not that it counts for much.

She wrote in her resignation statement:

When I first posted on Facebook I reacted to an article and I quickly judged the two young ladies in a way that I would never have wanted to be judged myself as a teenager," Lauten wrote Friday. After many hours of prayer, talking to my parents, and re-reading my words online I can see more clearly just how hurtful my words were.

Sigh.