Gender Inequality At James River High School

Dress codes in middle and high schools are a form of discrimination against teenage girls in today’s society. Parents and students all over the country argue that dress codes are directed mainly at girls and are a blatant example of gender inequality. The idea behind the strict enforcement of a dress code is that it will teach self-respect and raise moral standards for the students. However, when the reason for many dress code violations is questioned the rationale is often to prevent distracting the male students. Young women across the country are being shamed and punished for wearing what schools consider immodest and being a distraction to their male peers. This discrimination against female students results in their clothes being strictly regulated and dress coded more often than male students’ clothes are. The enforcement of these discriminatory dress codes has become a form of public humiliation for female students. Theoretically, a dress code makes sense and should be effective. In reality, it does not affect how students dress but causes a distraction and interruption of a girl’s education.

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.

America, the “land of the free, and home of the brave.” Unfortunately, this doesn 't mean “land of the free to wear whatever one desires.” In fact, school dress codes are taking away American students’ self expression, infringing on their freedom of speech, and enforcing sexist discrimination all over the country. A recent case, that occurred at Tottenville High School in Staten Island, New York, blatantly displays the negative effects dress codes are having on students, especially females. In the first couple of days of the semester, this high school managed to give 200 detentions to students for violating the dress code. Ironically enough, 90 percent of these students were girls (Swafford). The discouraging part is that schools are easily able to get away with this kind of discrimination. This is made possible by state laws that give school boards the power to enforce whatever dress codes they think are necessary to promote a distraction free learning environment, maintain discipline, and to push students to dress similarly in order to create a uniformity in the schools (“School Dress Codes”). The purpose of dress codes may be to create a distraction free learning environment; in reality, however, they produce an environment where students feel discriminated against and aren 't free to express themselves.

School dress codes are very sexist and to demonstrate that Lindsay establishes credibility. Not only does Lindsay use credible sources she, herself, is a reliable source. Lindsay has lived through high school with the administration shaming women and promoting rape culture. Rowena is a female writing about how dress codes are sexist towards females. In the article she quotes Laura Bates, The Boston Latin School Change.org petition, Dr. Larry Wilder, Maggie Sunseri, and Liliana Severin. The people she quotes are credible because they all have done extensive research on this topic. One example is Laura Bates, she said, “Often they report hearing phrases like, ‘boys will be boys,’ from teachers…. Girls are receiving very clear messages that male behavior, male entitlement to your body in public space is socially acceptable, but you will be punished,” (Rowena, 3). Lindsay shows Bates’s knowledge on this topic by stating she is a Founder of The Everyday Sexism Project.

Synopsis: “Are Dresscodes Unfair to Girls” is a podcast episode produced by CBC’s The Current. Its aim was to explore the gender inequality involved in the public school system regarding dress codes through interviews with students, parents, and school administrators. Multiple sides of the debate were argued, showing the complexity of a relatively important issue.

You're in English class. The teacher asks a question to the whole class, and you raise your hand. Then your shirt goes up. Instead of getting a smile from your teacher for getting the answer correct, you get a one-way trip to the main office. Well, this is what happens to so many girls at school every day. The dress code Brings girls self-esteem down, and you can miss So Many hours of class time.

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.”

Schools dress codes are sexist because they promote body shaming, encourage victim blaming, and value male education over female.

Throughout the article, “Why Sexist Dress Codes Suck For Everyone” written by Emily Lindin, argues why dress codes hurt everyone. Lindin is a very acclaimed and credible author who has written many pieces for Teen Vogue, along with a memoir about her experience with bullying, which later became a documentary. Lindin targets teen girls throughout most of her pieces, on the idea that girls should not be punished for the way they dress. This controversial article was published in Teen Vogue magazine in May 2016. Lindin’s article argues that school dress codes not only affect girls, but also gives guys a disadvantage as well. Lindin starts off her argument by giving her opinion on dress codes not only in the school systems, but in everyday life too. She goes on to say, “Most school dress codes, however, are deeply sexist both in the way

School dress codes send a loud and clear message, “Your individuality is inconvenient.” (Rowland 22). The constitution guarantees the right to free speech,which can be interpreted as the right to freedom of self expression, and students use clothing to express themselves. Another message that dress codes send is that “the self identity that you want to express does not belong here.” Self expression is not an inconvenience or a distraction, it is the lifeblood of our nation. (Rowland 22). Schools tell students that they should be confident in themselves, but how can they if they cannot express themselves? School dress codes now are more about shielding the boys then protecting the girls which implies that boys are immature. Calling a girl’s clothes distracting is implying that she is at fault for any disruptions. “That 's like saying that because a store has a cash register, it 's the store 's fault if it gets robbed!” (Menza 1). Students are going to be distracted anyways. Sexist dress codes are like saying that an article of clothing, or a body part showing on a female will distract male students from learning. Dress codes should be simple for both genders, everyone should wear clothing that covers up the same area. With dress codes, students are forced to dress the same as other students, taking the individuality out of school, but schools try to send the message, you are individual. Figure 1 shows a strict dress codes for both students and

Dress codes treat students unfairly, mainly targeting females. Many students across the nation-particularly girls- are agreeing with school dress codes being too strict and giving unfair treatment to females. A student from Kentucky was sent home for showing her collarbone, a student from Texas was sent home for wearing yoga pants and an oversized t-shirt that completely covered her backside. A teacher explained that when girls don’t meet the school dress code regulations, they are told they

This is not your call.” presents strong arguments on why the dress code is degrading students by the way it is being enforced. Following these arguments, there are many things addressed about each one of the points made in this analyzing. Due to the things addressed, Manicotti wants support on not sexualizing female bodies on the dress code. Along with making male students responsible for their actions, teachers and administrators need to fairly enforce the dress code policy. Not only were there facts to prove all of these points, but there were specific details supporting the evidence. This article would make for a good read if there were more statics, facts and clear cut evidence supporting the argument. It might still be an intriguing read if people actually believe schools are abusing the dress code

Nothing about the dress code in most schools is sexist. Schools simply wants both male and female students to dress modestly and appropriately.” Most of the replies to this quote are not positive and disagree on many

Students all over the United States are believe that school dress codes are are biased and sexist. Many people are finding ways to protest against the dress codes, for example The Atlantic says, "'I’ve never seen a boy called out for his attire even though they also break the rules,' says Sunseri, who last summer produced Shame: A Documentary on School Dress Code, a film featuring interviews with dozens of her classmates and her school principal, that explores the negative impact biased rules can have on girls’ confidence and sense of self." This shows that the dress codes are destroying girls, confidence causing them to have low self-esteem. This is also just one way that people are protesting against dress codes. Even adults do not agree with the dress codes in schools. Choices

The gender equality issue within our society stems from what children are being taught from the day they are born. Whether it is conscious or sub-conscious children are being taught at an early age the stereotypes of what it is to be a girl or a boy. “Choices about what they will play with or wear are made for younger children and, by the time they come to make their own, they have already learnt what is expected of them and will often behave accordingly.” (National Union of Teachers, 2013, p.3). Educators calling on girls to do chores around the classroom or not allowing boys to play in the family corner they are only help in print these stereotypes into the minds of the children. It has been said that children soak up their social environment like sponges, so by sending out new social messages educators are able to create a