From N.Y.C. to Truro, N.S.; ‘Pantsuit Nation’ shows support for Hillary Clinton

Keltie Jones lives hundreds of miles from the United States border but still has a deep connection to what happens in our neighbouring country — including Tuesday’s presidential election.

“I’m hopeful but I’m also anxious about the U.S. election because I lived down there for many years. I grew up in Nova Scotia but lived in California for over 20 years,” Jones said,

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I'm hopeful but I'm also anxious about the U.S. election because I lived down there for many years. I grew up in Nova Scotia but lived in California for over 20 years," Jones said,

Jones, who now lives in Truro, N.S. is the assistant dean at the Dalhousie University Faculty of Agriculture. She’s one of thousands of people participating in the social media movement “Pantsuit Nation.”

READ MORE: Pantsuit Nation: Canadians form ‘united pantsuit front’ for Hillary Clinton

“A lot of women made the decision to wear their pant suits when they voted today because it’s a symbol that stands up for Hillary Clinton being criticized,” she said.

Presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have had their fair share of criticism, but Clinton in particular has been personally attacked for her wardrobe.

“She’s had to put up with a lot of critique and criticism that would never have happened to a male candidate,” Jones said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "She's had to put up with a lot of critique and criticism that would never have happened to a male candidate," Jones said.

In solidarity with her friends that are voting in the U.S., Jones wore a pant suit to work on Tuesday.

“It’s the women showing up and saying, ‘you know what, we are who we are and we can wear what we want and we will vote and be proud of the fact that we have that right,'” she said.

READ MORE: Will Americans actually move to Canada after the U.S. election?

Before Jones became assistant dean, she spent many years practicing law in the U.S.

She says in her early career days, pant suits being a symbol of empowerment for women.

“I started working at a California law firm in 1994 and was told that we weren’t allowed to wear pants, women were not allowed to wear pants in the work place. I was shocked to say the least and that fall, the California legislature passed a law that said that of January 1 it would be illegal to require women to wear skirts at work,” she said.

It’s a sign of progress she hopes inspires future generations.

“There’s a lot of talk among young women about how feminism is something that they don’t need or it’s something that is bad and feminism is really just that belief and that faith that we are important and we should be valued and we should be an active part of our society,” she said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "There's a lot of talk among young women about how feminism is something that they don't need or it's something that is bad and feminism is really just that belief and that faith that we are important and we should be valued and we should be an active part of our society," she said.