Dear readers,
Let's talk about dress codes. I'm not saying that they should be completely dismantled, but there a lot out there that are sexist as fuck. Let's get into it, shall we?
First of all, the idea that boys could be distracted, and therefore unable to learn properly, by a girl who's wearing anything that's even the slightest bit revealing. Basically, the whole idea is that if a girl comes to school with an open back dress or a off the shoulder top, a boy will be distracted by the skin showing and not be able to learn. What the actual fuck, guys.
If a boy gets distracted by a tiny amount of **SHOULDER** showing on a random girl in the hallway, that's HIS problem. He's the one who needs to change. The dude's gotta realize that it's not okay to oogle girl's bodies, even if there's a tiny sliver of skin showing between her shirt and her pants (gasp). Seriously, if schools keep enforcing these ridiculous dress codes and telling boys that it's okay to be distracted by girl's bodies and that it's the girls fault for dressing how she wanted to, those boys are going to grow up to be rapists who are told that it's okay to force women into sex with them because of the way that they dress and that it's their fault for distracting them. Guys, this is really fucking messed up.
Secondly, we've got the issue of how these dress codes are enforced. Some dress codes are so stupidly and ridiculously specific when it comes to the length of the girl's skirt or whatever that a girl could be sent home (which is way more negatively impactful on her learning and education than a boy momentarily being distracted by her shoulders and missing a few seconds, rather than a few hours, of class) simply because of her body shape.
For example, what if a girl in high school developed early and has a really curvy body or a big chest? She shouldn't be punished simply becase of the way that her body, which she can't control, makes her clothes look. If a teachers stops to tell her that what she's wearing is inappropriate and obscene, than the teachers needs to stop viewing her in a digusting and overly sexual way. What if a girl has naturally long legs? She shouldn't be punished because of the way that a skirt or shorts make her legs look. Furthermore, girl's shorts are made to be ridiculously teeny-tiny, and her long legs, which she can't control, only make them look smaller. Why is it that boys are allowed to wear shorts when it's hot outside and even when it's freezing outside, while girls are told to cover up and overheat in long pants?
Another problem with dress codes is the ridiculously specific measurements that the rules include. For example, a dress code could include some minimum length that skirts or shorts have to be. There are even rules out there about the number of inches between a girl's collarbone and the top of her shirt. Because every girl's body is different, you can't apply the same measurements on all of them and expect them to work. It would be like trying to get 10 different women with different body sizes and shapes to fit into the same pair of jeans. They would maybe fit a couple of the women, but not all, which is why clothing has different sizes. One-size-fits-all clothing is a nice idea, but it just doesn't work for everyone most of the time, so why have a one-size-fits-all dress code?
These dress codes are literally made to objectify and sexualize young girls, as well as make them feel as if they have to change themselves for males or dress the way that men and boys want them to dress. There's pratically no rules for boys when it comes to dress codes. Girls get sent home at ridiculous numbers, whereas boys almost never get sent home, even if they were violating the dress code in some way.
I'm not saying that all dress codes are sexist. Some of are plain and simple. Don't wear your underwear to school. Don't come to school shirtless. Don't wear hats and hoods in school.
But it's the many dress codes that are subtly sexist that need to go. They do affect young girls and they are being raised to give in to men's desires and needs. So please don't let young girls be objectifyed and sent home for showing their shoulders and let them get the education that they need.
-Blue
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