Lindsey Graham- Staff Writer
School begins in mid-August during some of the hottest and most uncomfortable days in summer. During these days, I could not wait to get home and go outside. With the summer sun at full effect, my jeans and bulky shirt I wore in school were not exactly ideal for the weather. Neither were any of the girls’ outfits nearby. But at least the boy next to me seemed comfortable in his shorts and t-shirt.
The dress code is implemented in most schools across the country. It is a set of rules of what a student can and cannot wear to the building during learning hours. This typically begins when students are in kindergarten and follows them into high school. Specifically, the dress code targets girls. Tank tops are prohibited. Skirts, shorts, and dresses must be long enough to pass fingertip length, no backless dresses, no cleavage, and no “distracting skin” can be shown.
What is the true distraction, though? Administrators demanding that female students leave class when their shorts do not reach fingertip length is discouraging and takes time out of class. Obviously not all girls share the same arm length or even the same body type. Girls with longer arms are at a clear disadvantage for clothing options even though the shorts may be long enough on a girl with shorter arms. There are limited options for longer than mid-thigh pants, leaving warm weather clothes as the only choice. Body type unfairly determines that an outfit is “inappropriate” if something is slightly more showy on different women, again, leaving limited available options.
The problem goes deeper than just being unfair and losing class time, though. It promotes a culture of “victim blaming”, essentially stating that women are no more than distractions, and is pressed onto students before they can even read or write. It suggests that women are the problem rather than the boys who supposedly cannot focus due to shoulder exposure. Female students are reduced to objects in the dress code as it suggests that their natural body parts (such as literal arms or legs) cannot be exposed, and that normal clothing is sexual solely because a woman is wearing it. This brings on the future and harmful mindset found in both men and women causing the question of “What was she wearing?” instead of immediately reprimanding the assaulter. It is a key factor in the mentality that women are assaulted because of their clothing choices and places unnecessary blame on the victim.
It’s not only a gender issue. The dress code limits people of color and minorities by targeting their specific fashion choices. Head coverings, more often worn by black students, are prohibited (unless they are used for religious purposes) seemingly for no reason. People of color are also just targeted more often. According to a 2018 statistic, white women tend to be “out of code” most often in comparison to everyone, but black women are most often dress coded.
There are ways to remove the sexist and racist roots from the dress code. For example, making a gender-neutral dress code would eliminate gender and racial prejudice. Instead of targeting the rules toward women, the code could state that the chest, torso, and any private parts should be covered. It could also include the preeminence of a hat or other head covering as long as the student’s face is still visible. Small steps like these can take a huge toll on future mindsets of students and it will promote a more inclusive and understanding environment.
Southview Catalyst 