Are School Dress Codes Sexist?

Today’s fashion trends, such as leggings, yoga pants, shorter skirts, booty shorts, form-fitting shirts, and spaghetti straps, have sparked controversy in schools. They have been banned from a great many. In my school, leggings, shorts, skirts, yoga pants, tank tops and off-the-shoulder tops were banned for girls. This

Any girl that has ever attended public school knows about the struggle of a dress code. On those hot days as the school year approaches, girls pour over their closets trying to find an outfit they won’t get called out for or sweat to death in. All their dresses are too revealing, their shorts too short, and their shirts reveal way too much shoulder—or so the schools say. Girls have been attacked time and time again with dress codes. Policies are almost always directed strictly towards girls; some even specify for girls only. These dress codes are not only sexist towards women, but they limit female’s freedom of expression and their choice to feel comfortable, and they do not teach female’s to have self confidence.

The people who are in charge of creating the school dress code don’t think of girls feelings, or their need to be an individual. There are also some unnecessary rules in schools, and what schools deemed inappropriate or distracting. The schools are taking some of the girls rights away. I believe that the dress code for the younger generation is too focused on girls, and it’s way too strict. Students should not have to wear school uniforms, some schools went for believing it would get rid of competition.

Have you ever been excluded from learning because of what you wore to school? In most schools, dress codes are set in place to provide a better learning space for all students. Having a dress code can oppress students because students are given the impression that they should not express themselves. Not all families can afford the clothes that abide by the rules. For example, some students don 't have the means to pay for new clothes, so they have to use hand-me-down clothing. Enforcing a dress code can lead to more problems in the long run because of the exceptions made for students who are athletes and cheerleaders. Many school faculty members including teachers and administrators think that keeping a dress code will keep students looking appropriate while learning, but this idea is wrong because it keeps students from expressing themselves and, the dress code singles out women.

It is the beginning of August, the dreadful days in school have finally arrived. Since it is still ninety degrees outside and the AC can not keep up, most boys walk through the halls with shorts and cut-off tank tops. Girls, we wear long pants such as, jeans or leggings, “Why?”, you ask, Why would one ever want to wear that? Unfortunately, It is not a choice for us. Girls face the question when deciding to wear shorts, “Are these long enough, am I going to get in trouble?” Despite the warm temperatures outside and inside girls can not wear what they want, because it shows too much of their bodies. Boys? Can wear their cut-offs showing more than girls. Do they get in trouble for showing too much? The answer, usually is no. .To this day women are not equal to men in, school, the workplace, or at home. In this article, Rowena uses ethos, a very limited amount of logos, and no pathos to make an argument about the sexism towards school dress codes and how it promotes rape culture.

For many elementary and middle school students, the possibility of being dress coded looms as an ever-present threat. Shorts must reach the mid-thigh and be no shorter. Tank top straps must be at least two inches wide. Anything less means the the inevitable trip to the principal’s office in which talk of appropriate clothing choices is thrown about. Though a once accepted reality of public schooling, the traditional values are being challenged. Girls across Canada are questioning the necessity for such rules, as well as the reasons behind dress codes. While they are not without their place, dress codes still hold strong connotations of gender inequality at a time when these values are being strongly challenged.

Dress code has been proven to be sexist. For example, the staff at schools make female students stand just to see if their shorts are long enough, if their shirts cover their shoulder, if their pants have holes above the knee, or if they are wearing any pants that are tight, which if they are a shirt must be covering their bum. Girls are targeted when it comes to dresscode. Why? All because of how society views their bodies. “It’s telling women and girls that it’s your responsibility to control boys and men and their presumed aggressiveness.”

In my experience at The Pembroke Hill School I have noticed that girls are targeted for violating school dress code policies far more than boys are. Most of the dress code is addressed towards girls, and honestly it is not okay. Obviously there should be a school dress code, but it should be to teach students what they can and cannot wear in public as adults, rather than to body shame them. When the message is saying that exposed shoulders and short

Are school dress codes fair to you? School dress codes have been a controversial topic for a while. They have been mentioned in many places such as: social media, articles, schools, etc. Although they may prevent some students from dressing “provocative”, they also take away the child’s right to be comfortable. Dress codes should be changed for multiple reasons. They are sexist, unconstitutional, unnecessary extra cost, and they take away each kid’s unique style. Dress codes have always been more trouble than they’re worth. I don’t think dress codes should be completely taken away, but modified greatly.

For instance, men can wear V-necks and women can’t. Men can wear cutoff t-shirts and women can’t. Men can wear jeans in their pants and women can’t. My friend was once sent home in high school for wearing a pink spaghetti strap shirt. I’ve also seen many guys wearing ‘wife beaters’ to school and they don’t get sent home even though they are basically the same thing. My cousin was sent to the office in 6th grade for wearing athletic shorts that weren’t past her fingertips. When her mom got to the school she ended up talking to the school board about dress code rules and how they are directed towards females. Boys are allowed to wear shorts that some might call inappropriate, but they don’t get dress coded. Some will say the dress code is somewhat fanatic the way they aim the rules at

I missed out on the sole purpose of school, the education. School dress codes are made to keep boys from being “distracted” in class. Boys have very little regulations, whereas girls have tons of regulations. No shoulders showing, no knees showing, no bra straps showing. These are just three of the thousands of dress code regulations made for girls across the country.

54% of Schools across America enforce a strict dress code (infoplease web), and this is considered normal. So it is normal for schools to target young girls, and it is normal for girls to be punished for the reactions of others? Many schools have dress codes and many of them all follow the same rules. These rules are outrageous and these schools need to be stopped. We should have school dress codes rewritten because they specifically target young girls and their clothing choices.

One of the ways that dress code is unfair is that teachers and the principles pick on certain girls to dress code. They only dress code girls with a certain body type, which is unfair

At Conway Springs High School students are expected to dress in a manner which does not interrupt the learning process (“Dress Code”). Having a strict dress code can cause students to want to wear those clothes more often leading to more students not wanting to come to school. Even though these rules apply not everyone follows them, which means the Board of Education needs to be strict on telling students what they aren’t allowed to wear, but here in Conway Springs only a few students are sent home to change while the other students are breaking the dress code. Most of the dress code I agree with, but some should be changed. For example no yoga pants unless there is a looser fitting shirt to go over, open shoulder shirts and clothing with holes above the knee.

First of all, the thought that dress codes are supposed to be created equally and fairly is absolutely mind blowing. Author, Ellen Friedrichs, provides many facts and myths about dress code that makes you think differently about the whole situation. Friedrichs points out, "So, far from putting all students on equal footing, dress codes disproportionately affect certain students more than others and the idea that a dress code will prevent students from noticing difference is laughable"(Friedrichs). Going along with her statement, instead of boys feeling attacked; it is more girls that feel that way. The dress code policy is more directed towards girls and how they dress rather than the boys. If anything, the administration should feel guilty for body shaming girls and making them feel insecure and ashamed of their bodies. All girls come in all different shapes and sizes. A shirt that looks modest on one girl may look completely different on another due to her body shape. Boys and girls should be free to dress however they want and what makes them feel confident. Dress code destroys all individuality and creativity. The claim the administration made about dress code towards girls is that, some clothes that girls wear distract boys from their work. Girls should not be blamed for the immaturity of boys.