School Dress Codes: Article Analysis

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.

As the temperature rises, so do hemlines and the suspension rate. Students get suspended for violating school dress codes by wearing outfits that ‘show too much skin.’ One can argue that revealing clothing is distracting, but some families and students agree that school dress code implementations end up just shaming girls. Dress codes, the epitome of high school, teach girls to act ashamed, not modest. According to most school boards that come up with the dress code, the outfits young women wear come across as too distracting for their peers, especially men, and make it unable for women to be viewed by the public with dignity and respect. Everyday, school dress codes target females—especially females that are more developed.

A website stated that “58% of girls that are currently attending college stated that they are not satisfied with the size of their body” (qtd. in DoSomething). Throughout the world, little girls are being negatively affected by the assumptions set forth by companies and society that being fat is bad for oneself. The creation of Barbies have set unrealistic and unobtainable goals for little girls, which won’t allow them to reach the good life because they will never reach this “Barbie” body. The central argument being addressed is analyzing how a girl’s image of herself affects her ability to reach the good life. Even though society and companies have engraved into us that the shape and size of our bodies is so important, Prager and Whittal show us that to achieve the good life one must focus on their self image rather than letting society influence them.

No females become school shooters leading some to believe that society’s view on ‘manliness’ has caused school violence. Those that are unpopular are viewed as less then a ‘man’ and scramble to establish their ‘manliness’. In some extreme cases they turned to violence to prove that they are a ‘man’.

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.

Most people in today’s society are not pleased with their image, whether it is physically or how they form their character. In “Enhance Your Body Image” (2015) Rebecca J. Donatelle opens her essay with “When you look in the mirror, do you like what you see? If you feel disappointed, frustrated, or even angry like Ali, you’re not alone.” She continues with a study depicting 80 percent of women are dissatisfied with their appearance (p.339). This does not only mean physical appearance; Santiago Quintana in “The Space In-Between” (2015) talks about how he did not belong in his social environment because resulting in him being bullied. A person’s values are molded by cultural influence, friends and family; furthermore, to be appreciative of

How does somebodies attire effects other people’s judgments of them? More specifically, how does attire of women influences others judgments? These are questions that take root from evolving problems in the world today. It is hard to give an honest answer because it is an opinionated argument. However, appropriate attire policies is a growing problem for society, there is a growing demand for equality in male and female attire. The argument is expressed in an article written by Laura Bates called, “How School Dress Codes Shame Girls and Perpetuate Rape Culture”. The problem is that women are expected to dress in a way that is socially acceptable. Socially acceptable means that, females must dress in a way that protects and covers the female anatomy. This argument that Bates explains, expresses a pathos appeal because you are allowed to understand the point of view of those who have been victimized by dress codes. The article also gives an ethos appeal because the article makes a person question their morale value. Questioning whether dress codes are equal or unjust and sexist. Reading the argumentative peace it is obvious that Bates stands against sexist dress codes.

One social effect of conformity in young girls is low self-confidence, which often follows into adulthood. Mary Pipher, Ph. D., is a clinical psychologist and author of “Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls”. Throughout Pipher’s writings she recalls personal and patient’s experiences that have brought to light the “destructive forces that affect young women.” (268). Pipher explains that as girls grow up, “They lose their assertive, energetic and “tomboyish” personalities and become more deferential, self-critical and depressed. They report great unhappiness with their own bodies.” (267) Throughout adolescence they are taught by plays, movies, books, and society that a woman’s purpose is to please others. Her favorite example

According to the article “Beauty and the Boy”, Dr. Peggy Drexler, argues that not only females are objectified to look a certain way, young males are also pressured by society to appear more masculine and aggressive. Dr. Drexler starts off with a statement saying that society is applying pressure on young girls to look a certain way, then supporting her argument with evidence from NYU’s Child Study Center, which state “girls become aware of the role physical appearance plays in how they're perceived, and received, by others as early as age nine, when their self-esteem peaks before plummeting drastically” (1); However, Dr. Drexler provide a counter statement to impose the idea that boys are impacted by negative body image as well, with confirmation from the National

Li Zhou, a popular blogger, illustrates, in the article “The Sexism of School Dress Codes,” how school dress codes have a negative impact on girls. Administration argues that rules are put in place to create a learning environment that is distraction free. However, it is apparent that dress codes create a sense of self consciousness within girls. Dress codes body shame. School systems should not encourage girls to be uncomfortable in their own skin, girls have a hard time feeling comfortable with their bodies.

(Heubeck 2006) For many young people, especially girls, the ideal continues to chase them as they grow into young women. Young girls begin to internalize the stereotypes and judge themselves by media’s impossible standards. The power that the media holds in impacting the lives of young girls is detrimental and eventually affects their body image, their satisfaction of their own body, and portrayal of their body as an object.

School Dress Codes: one of the most enforced school policies of all time for students of any age and gender. Of course, everyone has their opinion about what is too short or too long, what is too low or too high, and what is too tight or too loose; however, according to schools, middle school and high school girls are all “indecent”, or how the students put it, whorish. Because of this, there are very specific rules, right down to the T, about what girls can and cannot wear while on school grounds. As the handbook says, “Skirts, dresses, and shorts cannot be more than 2 ¼ inches above the knee.” Oh, and to make you moan and groan even more, “The inseam of your shorts has to be, at the very least, 4 inches long.” So they are trying to tell me and the rest of the student body that we can only wear long shorts? Is it just me, or does that bulls*** sound like an oxymoron? Wouldn’t long shorts be… what do you call them? Oh… pants?

“Public schools have the responsibility to have safe and orderly schools that maintain an environment conducive to learning” (Steffen). A quote said by Larry Wilder, a retired assistant superintendent from Fresno, discusses why schools have to put certain dress codes in place to provide a well functioning school. Although schools are trying to “look out” for all the students, some people are beginning to feel as if these rules are infringing on their first amendment. All schools handle these situations differently. Some students received applause for expressing their true self, while others are suspended from school. Due to some school’s rules and dress codes being based around a “normal” boy or girl student, people who choose to dress like

The ringing of the alarm clock that is placed conveniently beside your bed wakes you. The sound startles your brain into getting out of your warm, cozy bed. It is time to go to school. You must wake up now in order to make it on time. If you are late again, your teacher will probably give you that nasty look of dismissal. What are you going to wear?

Dove’s Self Esteem project was made for young girls because more young girls struggle with having low self-esteem between the ages of seven to seventeen than most people realize. Not having good self-esteem takes a toll on young girls and causes them to miss out on many opportunities while growing up. Dove stated “six in ten girls avoid participating in fundamental life activities because of concerns about the way they look”. I found this very