Buzzword

By Ana Marie Cox

Post-Monica, the female intern in the nation's capital has a reputation that's part Catholic schoolgirl, part Paris Hilton: sexy, scantily clad and technically off-limits, but too clueless to know better. Such stereotyping isn't fair to most of the ambitious young women who flock to Washington each year (20,000 interns arrive every summer, counting the boys). But the visiting vixen's midriff-baring, miniskirted image rings true enough to have prompted a neologism--SKINTERNS--as well as efforts to make young women more presentable in Capitol Hill's still starchy environment. One intern coordinator marks every day's schedule to indicate what level of formality is required from D for dressy to VC for very casual. Take note: there's no SC for scantily clad.