Dress Code Discrimination

All around the world girls have to go through being body shamed for the way they dress on a daily basis. Regardless of a girl's ethnic group or culture she seems to always be put on the spot! No matter how a young lady chooses to dress there’s always some type of disapproval thrown her way. This could be socially or even in schools from the staff. Boys rarely have to face this preconception at school and in public as much as girls do. Schools, for example, is where the partisanship against girls happens the most! A girl has to be disciplined for a few rips in her pants, clothes that are ¨too tight¨, or ¨too revealing¨; boys have it way more relaxed though. Why should a girl have to be sent home for the way she's dressed? When this type of thing happens to a girl she is essentially being told her appearance is more important than her education, which should never be the case! Some may argue that the way a girl dresses at school may interfere with the ¨educational process¨.

Women have been subjected to sexist and stereotypical dress codes for way too long. It’s entirely comprehensible why schools have such strict dress codes for girls, but it should be to a certain extent. Girls are being told that they are a “distraction to the educational process”; Therefore they are too busy being punished instead of being in class getting an education. Students may already be behind in class, so when they miss too much time serving suspensions, changing clothes, or getting a petty lecture about their skirt lengths their getting put behind even more. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, “Dress codes are legal as long as they do not, ‘treat boys and girls differently, force students to confirm sex stereotypes, or censor particular viewpoints.”(This includes protection for transgender, non-binary gender, or any other students who choose to dress in nontraditional ways.)” As claimed by journalist Sasha Jones, “Protests from students and parents are making an impact.” Former Trail High School senior Victoria Schantz decided to challenge the school's dress code.

Victoria was pulled out of class, given temporary clothes, and sent home to change on multiple occasions. She was also sent home twice in one day - once for wearing a deemed shirt “inappropriate” and a second time for wearing leggings and a baggy shirt. The school called her mother to tell her Victoria would have to spend the rest of the day completing her classwork in the office alone.” It becomes obvious that these measurements were a bit extreme. Why are girls having to be an outsider to an education because of their choice of clothing? On the other hand, the school board may argue that such severe dress codes are a way to teach girls the significance of a respectable appearance which is a lesson that can undoubtedly impact their self-respect and self-esteem. Notwithstanding, when a girl dresses she dresses for herself, she dresses to her comfort, and she feels right about what she has on. Because if she doesn’t feel right about what she has on more than likely she’ll change to her consolation. Some schools argue they are enforcing these rules to teach young ladies that their choice of clothing could impact their “self-esteem”, but at the same time they’re degrading the girls self -esteem by telling her what she can and can’t wear,by telling her that what she’s wearing is “inappropriate or unprofessional”. Boys can easily get by in a pair of athletic shorts and a hoodie, and still not get nearly as much negative attention about their outfit being “inappropriate” as a girl would if she was wearing the same.

Moral of the story, boys get to dress a certain way without being critiqued, but girls don't have the same ascendancy. Schools should be more open minded to the way girls dress. Girls tend to express themselves through clothing, but school dress codes make that unimaginable. For example, if it was a girls birthday and she chooses to wear a dress to school she might be told its ¨ too short¨ or ¨ too tight¨. But she might feel that what she is wearing is fine. Most likely a staff member will pull her to the side, and tell her she would have to change her clothes; Now the young lady will probably feel embarrassed and self-conscious on her birthday. Dress codes are breaking the self- confidence of girls everywhere! To conclude, all around the world girls have to go through being body shamed for the way they dress on a daily basis. Girls are losing class time because schools are to busy disciplining them for what they wear. Girls are being punished because schools think what they choose to wear is ¨ unprofessional¨. Girls are being denied the right to express themselves through their clothing, and schools are breaking the confidence of girls! Women have been subjected to sexist and stereotypical dress codes for way too long. It’s time for a change.

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