What Is Dress Code Fair?

When it is 90 degrees outside a female student does not want to be in pants or a quarter length t-shirt, they want to be in shorts and tank top, just like boys, but this is a violation of dress code in many schools. Many schools have this as a rule because they do not want females provoking males to sexually harass them, but it is not the females fault. In an article about dress codes in public schools the author states, “proponents of these restrictions contend that such clothing leads to distractions in the classroom and encourages bullying, sexual harassment, and even sexual assault. Critics of these restrictions argue that they encourage the objectification of women and deny students the right to be comfortable” (Gale 2). A student should not feel uncomfortable or targeted in their learning environment. School is somewhere a student is supposed to feel safe and at home but this is not the case. Sexual harassment is also a concept that is mentioned when discussing school dress codes. Many people say that when breaking dress code females are provoking sexual harassment including this author who states in his article, “They contend that female students should not be held responsible for whether their classmates can pay attention, claiming that the uneven punishment perpetuates the idea that a woman harbors responsibility for any sexual harassment she experiences because of her fashion

Why is dress code stricter for girls? I’ve always wondered why dress code is stricter for girls. Girls tend to get pointed out the most for dress code; sometime it’s for a silly reason. Now I know you’re probably wondering why I’m writing about this subject, well I’m a girl who should have the rights to express their body without a boy getting turned on or “distracted”. No girl should get pulled out of class because you can see their shoulders and /or wearing leggings. Pulling a girl out for class for showing their shoulder is more distracting than see a shoulder. I believe that this world is still very sexist. If not then why don’t boy have a stricter dress code? Or should I say why don’t they enforce dress code like they do to the

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.

Girls shouldn't be punished just because a simple bra strap is showing or for wearing a pair of leggings to school. These sort of acts are deemed “distracting” to the boys in class just because a boy may so happen cast a glance in their direction. Now first and foremost, a boy is in class to learn and he should be worried about his education NOT what the girl beside him is wearing. Personally, leggings are comfortable and easy to just throw on when I’m running late or just want to be lazy for the day. In most schools, girls get in trouble for wearing leggings, even if her shirt covers her bottom. “I’ve never seen a boy called out for his attire, even though they also break the rules” (The Atlantic). If a school's dress code is going to be in effect, it needs to apply to ALL students, not just

Everyone knows what getting dress-coded is but why does it happen? Enforcing dress codes is a way to maintain a professional learning environment, however, dress codes desperately need to be updated constantly in order to work. Current dress codes are improperly enforced, as well as improperly targeted toward women. The issue should not be that a woman's shoulder is distracting, the issue is that a boy “cannot learn” because he cannot keep himself under control when presented with the sight of skin. In addition, dress codes teach women that it is their fault when men sexualize them, therefore increasing the idea in rape culture that it is the victim's fault and that "Boys will be boys." The way that dress codes are currently enforced is unfair, sexist, and unjust.

Dress codes are a flawed and outdated system that should be taken out of school systems entirely. Dress codes promote a patriarchal society. This is due to the fact that one of the most prevalent reasons dress codes exist for women is because “they are too

​Dress codes are enforced to prevent interference with school work. Unfortunately, this translates as dress codes being enforced to prevent girls from distracting boys with their bodies. Dress codes essentially teach girls to be ashamed of their bodies and teach boys to sexualize girls at an early age. Most dress codes are outdated and do not allow students to express themselves. On top of that, when girls do break the dress code, they are forced to wear a “shame suit” or simply go home. When boys break the dress code, they are just given a slap on the wrist. Dress codes teach girls to hide their body which leads them to become self-conscious and ashamed of their own bodies. Ultimately, these rules show girls that covering themselves and worrying

Girls in my school often complain about not being able to wear tank tops or getting in trouble for skin showing, but does that mean dress codes are sexist? No! Well they often focus more on girls clothes rather than boys that's just because girls have more clothing options which include more revealing choices too. Dress code should be simple everyone has to wear clothes that cover the same areas. Shirts should cover shoulders , Shorts should reach the knees and so on. it's not miss misogynistic to enforce that code for girls if you require the same of boys! I believe in the right to express yourself, and fashion is a good way to do so. But also this is the training ground for real life. Many jobs have dress codes and you must comply. There is plenty of time to wear what you want outside of school and work.”

Many students say I think it's not cool how we have to have a dress code it's so gender biased. The dress code is against both genders and what we wear. It's about looking professional for our learning/working not distracting the boys. It is a gender biased attitude about it that needs to change. The fact that schools think we should have a dress code is unfair.

“Wow, I’ve never seen a belly button or shoulder before,” said no teenage boy ever. Dress codes have become a big issue in public schools. Teachers are becoming far too strict. School dress codes should not be as strict because, teachers are more attentive to the dress code rather than academics, the dress code is very sexist, and why should girls be punished because boys are too distracted?

School dress codes have been a prominent topic of discussion the past few years. Largely, young girls and some school board members are fighting against these sexist codes that govern schools across the world today. Dress codes target young women by stating they should dress appropriately so they do not distract the male students. This leads to men thinking it’s acceptable to disrespect women, and also women feeling like what they wear is more important than their academics. This results in a number of large issues such as gender inequality, stereotyping, and sexual harassment.

One of the biggest places that dress codes are enforced are public schools. In the United States ninety-eight percent of schools have some sort of dress code, ranging from really strict to moderate. These dress codes include not being able to show shoulders or knees. Not being able to wear tank-tops or skirts. Although boys can wear shorts and cut off shirts but if girls were to wear that they would get in trouble. Parents of those girl feel as if this is unfair treatment, and it is. Why should girls be the only ones to get in trouble for simple things? A lot of people do not think it is fair, and those people are correct (Niche, 2016).

I had a phone interview with Mike Taylor, the Dean of Students at my own high school Thurston High. When asked the dress code enforcement, he said “students are expected to dress in a manner that is neat and appropriate for school or work… and (nothing) that disrupts the educational process.” I asked how one is to enforce “neat, appropriate, and undisruptive” and Mr. Taylor proceeded to give me examples of what girls can and cannot expose. “Girls have to cover their shoulders, midriffs, chests, and cannot wear shorts or skirts above their knee. If those aren’t covered, then they become a distraction and are either sent home, or wear different clothes that we provide.” When asked if these same rules were enforced to boys, he said a hesitant yes, but that is a blatant lie. When I attended high school, with Mr. Taylor as my Dean of Students, boys would participate in gym class shirtless, have a “Daisy Duke Tuesday” where the first tuesday of the month boys would wear “daisy duke” shorts, and on a regular basis wear shirts where their ribs and nipples are exposed. When I asked how many people were written up in the last month I learned 23 girls were sent to his office to change their clothes. No boys were written up. This is not just a situational event. In Docketerman’s article “When Enforcing School Dress Codes Turns Into Slut Shaming,” she went to a middle school in Evanston, Illinois where a

We’ve all seen it, don’t lie. Boys and girls alike, making sexist jokes in the hallway and laughing like it’s funny. See boys objectifying girls, and vice versa, as if it isn’t an action that is humiliating and ridiculous. Young and impressionable, we have been taught from a young age to fight each other and bully each other with a simple saying: “Girls rule, boys drool! Boys rule, girls drool!” Regrettably, the idea is displayed on T-shirts at Target and Justice, and it’s tearing schools apart. This mindset of the superior sex is a horrible misconception of the world, implanted by ignorant adults to make ignorant children. And the most prominent ignorant thing in schools yet: dress code and uniforms. Innocently, people believe it’s an unimpeachable commodity. You’re in the green light if one covers their body up. In a nutshell, school dress code would rather have girls sent home and miss their education rather than boys ogle at girls and miss their education. Despite some people thinking that the dress code and uniforms should still live on as upheld, they should both be rid of because it is sexist, unfair, and objectifying.

Dress code singles out females more because the females like to wear smaller clothing than what’s needed. They love wearing and walking around with smaller shorts, tank tops. No girl should be ashamed of their body, everybody should be happy to wake up and wear what’s comfortable but coving skin. “All students and teachers should understand that they are responsible for managing their own personal distractions without regulating individual student’s clothing or self expression.” All males and females have a reason on why they get dress