By punishing young girls for their attire, the school administration teaches . "It was time for us to revisit some of the language," principal Gina Flanagan said. The codes aren't just problematic for sexist reasons. Young girls have expressed their complaints about the "unfair and demeaning" use of dress code. Discriminatory dress codes reinforce stereotypical and sexist notions about females, and can lead to discrimination. Tops are required to have a certain size strap or sleeve, and bra straps are not allowed to be seen. But even the girls who were allowed to attend the dance . If any . The most common lengths for shorts, skirts, and dresses were "to the students fingertips" (53%), "longer than mid-thigh" (36%), and "longer than the knee" (11%). Many school dress codes use gendered language, such as "girls must not wear spaghetti . Dress codes are breaking the self- confidence of girls everywhere! Neuner, who told the Herald that she believes her school's dress code policy is "sexist, applied unfairly to girls, and silly given how common tank tops are among adults and children," is right: girls are far more likely than boys to get—as the kids call it—"dress-coded.". In male-dominated industries such as car dealerships and the polar sciences, discriminatory dress codes may be "normalized" and can perpetuate systemic sexism and harassment. 78% said children and teens need standards for school attire. Are school dress codes racist? As a result, these rules may lead to the over- sexualizing of female students' bodies. (CFR) Too often, school dress codes are enforced in ways that disproportionately impact students of color — both male and female. Statistics from my survey. Women have always faced an extreme amount of pressure and judgement from society to be what is deemed as "perfect" from a young age. High Schools with Strict Dress Codes: 56%. A s pupils go back to school this month, one institution has hit the headlines for sending up to 150 girls home for wearing skirts that were deemed "too short". They argue that boys can get away with things that girls get reprimanded for. There must be discussion about how a gender-neutral, functional approach can be incorporated. School's dress code in the U.S is utterly ridiculous. However, these standards to conform students and . When girls push back on dress codes they are demanding to be heard, seen, and respected. Students are rising up against dress codes that single out girls and hold them accountable for what boys may think or do. According to a survey conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, over half of the United States' schools have a form of dress code, yet they have not been enforced justly. Reports on a study of how engenderment (socialization to gender) operates in both male and female single-sex and coeducational independent schools. 1. Some Buchanan High School students in Fresno, California . By law, Sudanese women have to cover their body when in public. 1081 Words. This is a sign that girls posted in one high school to protest sexist . Jun 12, 2017. The dress code is targeted at the female students while the male students rarely get dress coded. Many even believe they help kids do better in class. The dress code had not been updated since the 1990s. The schools would argue that the dress code is meant to bring professionalism, but it is indeed sexist. In fact, many seemed to simply accept that male staff and pupils would 'naturally' get distracted by the sight of a bare female shoulder. In one Massachusetts high school, for example, six of the nine dress code . The school's dress code required dress length to extend beyond pinky fingers, and stipulated: "tops should cover front, back and midriff with straps two fingers wide.". Middle Schools with Strict Dress Codes: 62%. Nationwide, 53 percent of public schools enforced a strict dress code during the 2015-16 school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. it's easy to see dress codes become sexist by targeting females, sexualizing clothing, and leading to a disproportionate loss of learning time for women. Most of you think dress codes in schools are necessary. In Part II, I consider the broader legal terrain of sex discrimination in schools and identify particular questions raised by dress codes. Uniforms will solve dress code sexism for a limited time. Critics argue this criminalizes culture, and can lead to a system where students of color are getting disciplined more for dress code violations. Dress codes essentially allow students to focus on their studies and eventually become productive, successful and happy citizens of the world. sexist dress codes enforce public shaming of the female form.girls are being told that they have to hide their bodies away and can't be confident in their figures.they're being told that even the basic female form is so overwhelmingly distracting and uncomfortable to men and boys that they have no choice but to lose valuable class time and comply … The outcome was that our clothing gives a perception to the outside world, and in order to show that . In most cases, employers will want to make sure their dress code is lawful and comfortable for their staff so they may agree to change it. Today, according to statistics, across the nation 46 percent of primary schools, 70 percent of middle schools and 55 percent of high schools follow strict dress codes. Protests are growing against dress codes that students claim are sexist or non-inclusive to trans and gender nonconforming students. This is the reality of certain industries, and . Critics think dress code policies generally target girls. Dress code violations are beneficial when reinforced in the circumstance that a student is wearing clothing that promotes sexist, racist, or violent ideas, but girls often receive dress code violations for showing body parts such as their shoulders, midriff, or knees. But getting rid of sexist dress codes should be easy. According to the National Center for Education statistics, more than 53% of schools have dress code guidelines. Alameda High School has been recognized nationally for their new dress code . Dress codes are so entangled up in systems of oppression and violence, that designing and enforcing them seriously risks reinforcing racism, sexism, classism, and other forms of oppression. Suggest a different way you could still look smart and business-like. Dress codes tell us that our outfits and parts of our bodies, like shoulders, thighs and midriffs, should be sexualized. Dress codes are a stand-in for all the ways girls feel objectified, sexualized, unheard, treated as second-class citizens by adults in authority — all the sexist, racist, classist, homophobic hostilities they experience. 3 Pages. No shirts that reveal midriffs are allowed either. Girls are being punished because schools think what they choose to . But not everyone agrees. Requirements, however, vary from school to school. Many people feel that some school dress code policies unfairly target people of color by banning things that may wear like durags, hair wraps, braids, and dreadlocks. Every Friday since then, Sophia and other students at Simpson Middle School, about 25 miles north of Atlanta, have worn T-shirts that denounce dress codes as "sexist," "racist" and . Pupils at Tring School in . One project entry reads: "At age 10 I was pulled out of my fifth grade class for a few minutes for a 'special health lesson'. They went from banning leggings, shorts, short skirts, and spaghetti straps to allowing them in 2017. My School is Shaming Girls' Bodies. Females do not only suffer from sexism in the workplace, but also in school. Such provisions are fairly common at high schools and middle schools across the country. Rigidly gendered dress codes are like canaries in coal mines. Many girls believe the dress code is only in place for other people's sake, and not theirs. But, data on who's being punished. Dress codes help perpetuate the myth that women are responsible for how men view and objectify their bodies, as they contain more rules pertaining to clothing worn by female students and these rules are often enforced to promote modesty in female students. Since a school dress code seeks to create unity through equality, it can stop unhealthy cliques from forming on campus. As well as training teachers to use neutral language while reprimanding students for a violation. Telling a young girl that she cannot wear shorts or skirts that do not reach her knees tells her that she doesn't dictate what is appropriate about her body—society does. Only clauses with greater than 10% of responses in dissent are included in these results. The first thing to do is to talk to your manager. " Sexism cannot continue to be imposed under the garb of dress codes. In fact, such policies probably generate more. "Short" shirts refers typically to shirts that can't be tucked in or touch the top of the pants. The new policy only prohibits students from wearing violent, illegal, or profane images on their clothing. Clothing is one of the primary ways that students express their personalities and ideas when attending school. Girls are losing class time because schools are to busy disciplining them for what they wear. With all this context in mind, there are many questions that need to be considered. During the 2015-16 school year, 53 percent of public schools enforced a strict dress code, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, and girls of color are targeted most often—The National Women's Law Center has demonstrated that schools are more likely to remove Black girls than white girls from the classroom because of . The real problem of school dress codes is not the fact that they exist, but the reasoning behind having them in the first place, as well as the administration that enforce it. She claimed that . Some ladies would feel that they're being objectified and singled out. Whether the word "boys" is stated or left unstated in that statement, what we are saying to boys is that girls are a distraction to you, that you cannot and are not be expected to control . Saudi Arabia has a formal dress code for women, requiring them to wear an abaya, a loose-fitting, full-length robe. But despite widespread pushback against dress code enforcement, the issue is merely the . Asserts that schools with active gender equity policies were the least likely sites of sexism. Our office recently discussed the back to office dress code and there was a huge range of opinions on what is and isn't acceptable. Dress codes based on gender stereotypes can involve a tricky area of the law, said Ernest Haffner, an attorney in the office of legal counsel at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. We can see this from a recent string of school . By. . December 12, 2020. 79.3% of the respondents stated they knew a female peer that has been dress coded, 3.7% said they knew a boy, 11% said they knew no one that has, 4% said they knew people of both sexes that have been dress coded. Sexist dress codes in schools prevent students from focusing on their education. At East Longmeadow High School, Massachusetts, six out of the nine dress code regulations targeted female students. Shorts and skirts have to be a certain length, normally mid-thigh or knee length. The consequences of dress code violations contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline that systematically targets students of color. While rewording dress For the entire school year up until about February, 83 percent of dress code violations at. However, many schools around the country are still holding onto strict dress codes for females. This is a clear area for action on the part of schools . On the part of the educational institutions, there is a need for discourse about why the dress code is necessary. When the yearbooks finally came, I rushed down the hallways to the . • Business Casual Attire: Business casual, generally comprised of casual slacks and skirts, collared shirts, blouses and sweaters, is appropriate attire in all company locations and for most. Sexist school dress codes allow men to believe that they are controlled by their testosterone and have no control over their bodies, while women must change and not be a distraction. This means it's a moment primed . In Part I, I develop the broader cultural context in which school According to the same article in the Huffington Post, there are clearly two sides. Challenging schools to align unexamined, traditional dress codes to contemporary values is a tangible place to start if you're interested in teaching kids to live in a diverse, tolerant society. It can also be a way to show off the wealth of their family, express gang representation, or create inflammatory situations in an educational environment because of the graphics or words shared. High schools around the country have already rewritten their outdated dress codes. Finds that teachers initiated most of the incidents in six categories of sex discrimination. Many of the boys at Bob Jones High School also see the sexist dress code enforcement and believe . "These regulations clearly apply to girls more-so than they do boys. The opening blurb of the dress code. School uniforms are very modest. No one's rights are threatened by letting boys wear nail polish or wear their hair long. . The definition of sexist is, "the prejudice or discrimination based on sex or gender, especially against women and girls." The . Telling a young girl that she cannot show her chest tells her that if her body distracts men it is her fault, not theirs. "The dress code is sexist towards women and perpetuates rape culture. Dress codes are often meant to bring comfort to those around us, not meant for the person wearing the clothing. Sometimes the amount of how much a girl's back is showing is restricted. 1011. Dress Codes or How Schools Skirt Around Sexism and Homophobia. Pro. Administrators argue the dress codes are "important as it promotes a comfortable and professional learning environment. School dress codes and uniforms are promoting sexism, and here's why. a way to understand how racism and sexism interact. When girls push back on dress codes they are demanding to be heard, seen, and respected. Uniforms: The Use Of Dress Code In Schools. Ainsley Lloyd says, "All boys shorts are to the knees but girls shorts are shorter than fingertip length. 19 School Dress Code Pros and Cons. Whether or not an article of clothing is . Santa Fe Public Schools' Code of Conduct reinforces . Now allowing students to wear what they want, including midriff shirts, ripped jeans and miniskirts. In 2018, the Alameda Unified School District in San Francisco eliminated their traditional dress code policy. Dress codes are a stand-in for all the ways girls feel objectified, sexualized, unheard, treated as second-class citizens by adults in authority — all the sexist, racist, classist, homophobic hostilities they experience. In other cases, this fixation can lead to girls developing low self-esteem, depression, and eating disorders. 22% said children and . 15% of respondents (30% when neutral responses are excluded) were dissatisfied with the opening lines of the dress code. A study done by the University of Texas found rapists were actually more likely to prey on women who dressed in "appropriate" clothes: heavy layers, long sleeves and long pants. Style reports. The reason that girls think that the dress code is unfair to girls is, "Because the dress code only applies to girls, and only girls get dress coded," Rebekah Stopford claims. It would appear that dress code policies are often necessary in the absence of school uniforms to ensure appropriate attire: Primary Schools with Strict Dress Codes: 43%. In August 2016, Farragut High School student Hollie Sikes, a sophomore, created a change.org petition urging the school board to modify the school's dress code. After all, the way we as young women dress might distract them from getting an education. No Spaghetti Straps, Very Short Skirts "Dressing the same to school to show how dress codes are sexist . The corruptive reasoning of dress codes has a lasting negative impact on both boys and girls, despite being intentional or not. In 2014, staff at Bingham High School in South Jordan, Utah turned away about a dozen girls whose dresses they deemed to show too much skin. One petition, which had nearly 600 signatures by early afternoon, argued that dress codes are inherently sexist. HARBACH 503.DOC (DO NOT DELETE) 2/22/2016 2:24 PM 2016] PUBLIC SCHOOL DRESS CODES 1041 glean insights into how schools, students, and communities might better navigate dress code debates. These rules specifically target girls and women. Sports Uniforms increase Participation in Physical Education Lessons Do we really think that this all is a coincidence? Dress codes encourage modest apparel, but by doing this they are also encouraging overly restrictive, and oftentimes sexist, gender norms of past centuries. They also say that their clothes are too . Boys shorts are made longer, their tank tops have thicker straps, and they have no bra straps or cleavage to hide. The majority (56.1%) of respondents said they have not been dress coded, but 43.9% reported that they have. The limit is when students graduate from high school and even when students are outside of school. The student dress code "includes a minimum standard of dress and exists, per the policy, so students dress in a way that is 'consistent with the formality of school,'" she added. Recently, discussions have started on whether these dress codes are causing low self esteem in girls, though. The third reason dress codes are sexist is because men have more freedom to wear what they want. Open Document. A spate of revolts against school dress codes appears to be gaining momentum across the United States, with students staging walkouts and other protests to complain at the way girls have been . A majority of comments here focused on the ambiguity and use of meaningless buzzwords. One could argue that dress codes prepare students . Making them feel uncomfortable in their skin and blaming them for boys' behavior, as dress codes . The dress code is not enforced on the boys as strictly as it is on the girls. If talking to your employer doesn't . Yet Sunseri emphasizes that this isn't where she and other students take the most. The viral TikToks make it clear: school dress codes punish girls for having bodies. People who are against dress codes would say that it causes girls to have lower self-esteem. "The dress code makes girls feel self-conscious, ashamed, and uncomfortable in their own bodies," says Sunseri. 5. In Zhou, Li's article "The Sexism of School Dress Codes," she explains how the dress codes are diminishing children's self-esteem and, is mostly sexist towards girls as well as the LGBT community. Boys can get by easily but girls are dress coded all the time. People would suggest that their clothes are too provocative. Students of a specific age typically rebel against rules of some type. "Students are Waging War on Sexist and . Girls and LGTBQ youth are disproportionately affected by school dress codes. The more highly gendered a school's dress code, the deeper the problems of inequity in the school's culture. Shorts are more like capris and skirts are just above the knee. "Girls are sometimes told that their clothing is too distracting and boys can't pay . Schools often deem certain attire a "distraction" for other students, and it . And this is the issue. Another 33% didn't specify a length, just prohibited "short" items of clothing. Dress codes tell us that a young man's education is more important than ours. Essay Sample Check Writing Quality. The consequences go beyond reinforcing. It makes us very uncomfortable," said the creator of the clothing coup, Evita Frick-Hisaw, 16, on the social-media platform.. Every time there is an outcry over schools policing the attire of their female students and insisting that this is to protect them, this indicates that female pupils have taken a . 11. Uniforms demonstrate that being modest is socially acceptable and the antithesis is not. Explain what you think is inappropriate and why. The first reason I have stated is that dress codes are sexist. According to BuzzFeed, Kenzie Crimmins and Drew Jarding wanted to prove how sexist the school dress code is. Suspending students or sending them out from the classroom to change clothes - for any reason - can compromise students' learning and instruction (NWLC, 2018). Last May, I was counting down the final days of my freshman year at Bartram Trail High School and anxiously waiting to pick up my first high school yearbook. School dress codes have existed for decades. So they put on similar outfits on the same day and shared the results on TikTok. This shows that the dress code rules are not equal for men and women. Girls around the country are speaking out against casual expressions of systematic sexism in the classroom. To conclude, all around the world girls have to go through being body shamed for the way they dress on a daily basis. Data shows in March, 90 percent of dress code violations at Bartram Trail High School were for girls. To reach a wide audience including students, parents, and high school . It can stop gangs, cliques, or unhealthy social groups from forming. Almost 60 percent of schools enforce a strict dress code around the country, according to the latest findings from the National Center for Education Statistics based in Washington, D.C. Tank-top straps must be three-fingers wide; shorts must come down to your fingertips; low-cut shirts are unacceptable; leggings are not pants—these are all examples of dress code rules around the country in our schools. People are taken out of multiple class periods just because their shorts or skirts were too short, or their shirt was "too low cut . dress codes are situated by exploring recent research concerning the increased sexualization of girls in American culture, and then explaining how these concerns map onto the dress code setting. 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