The Dress Code Epidemic In Our Country Makes Me Sick
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The Dress Code Epidemic In Our Country Makes Me Sick

Why should what I wear determine my education?

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The Dress Code Epidemic In Our Country Makes Me Sick
Pixabay

You see the posts float around on your social media and news pages more often than just from time-to-time. Actually, I've had a hard time feeling anything but absolutely disgusted with how our schools here in the United States are treating women and how they "dress inappropriately" in school.

About an hour ago, I did not plan to write this article. However, I came across a Facebook post of a sheet of paper in a girls' school bathroom on the mirror that read:

"When you interrupt a girl's school day to force her to change clothes, or send her home because her shorts are too short or her bra straps are visible, you are telling her that making sure boys have a "distraction free" learning environment is more important than her education.
Instead of shaming girls for their bodies teach boys that girls are not sexual objects!!!!!"

*Cue thousands of angry mom and dad Facebook posts with pictures of their child DRESSED APPROPRIATELY.

This is literally a HUGE epidemic in our school system. Especially since women have become more powerful in our society. Coincidence?

When I was still in public K-12, I was always astonished at the frequency that girls were either put in 'In School Suspension' or sent home altogether for appropriate/MORE than appropriate school dress. It's absolutely absurd.

I had a friend who was sent home because she was wearing a dress that was "too short for dress code." When I was in high school, we went by the "fingertip rule" which basically meant if you could stand up with your arms hanging by your sides, and your dress went below your fingertips, you were fine (given that it didn't show "excessive cleavage" or something of the sort).

My friend's dress was two inches below her knees. We even measured it.

I had another friend who was sent home because her V-neck shirt had fallen down just a little in the front, so it showed the top of the cup of her bra. Our teacher sent her out almost immediately.

Woah. Bras. Holy shit. Let's panic because every single female in our sexist society must wear a bra to hold the sacks of fat on our chests that we have absolutely NO CONTROL OVER. The world will end.

Woops, looks like the guy behind me in class is going to get a raging boner and can't concentrate in class because I'm wearing a tank top that's 3 fingers width across on the straps. Okay, I'll just miss my Stats class and possibly English 5; you know, those classes I need to be able to get into college. No big deal.

Where am I going with this?

Every single child in this "great" country has the right to a free public education. The Constitution literally requires that all kids be given an equal educational opportunity no matter what their race, ethnic background, religious affiliation, financial status, or sex.

Let me repeat: NO DISCRIMINATION OF THEIR SEX.

Does this sound like an issue? If it does not, YOU are part of the problem.

If you're focused so much on looking at what the females in our classrooms are wearing, you're inhibiting a girl's right to her education. This girl could discover a cure for cancer, lobby for racial or gender equality, join the Peace Corps, become an economist, become President, or be a great mom.

Guys, I can't stress enough how so very important an education is. Especially in today's world.

More and more women are successfully finishing public school, going to college, graduating with honors, leading successful lives, becoming active in their communities, volunteering, leading top "male-dominated" professions, and doing it even while raising families and basically living their lives like we are intended.

If you are inhibiting a girl's education, you are stopping this process. That's called digression. That's also called discrimination.

Oh, but the male population just can't have this because it hurts their pride, or they don't want to be "beat by a girl," or outsmarted by a woman, or even worse, *gasp* have a female boss.

Sure, change is hard in a huge country full of ignorance, run by corporate giants, and ruled with a corrupt system, but there is NO EXCUSE.

And the thing that really REALLY gets me is that we focus so much on what the females in our society are wearing that we literally set aside all of the BIGGER issues in the world and in our country.

Does global warming sound familiar?

Do the multiple wars across the world matter?

Do we want to bring our men and women fighting for our country home?

Does the racial divide in this country take a back seat?

Does this upcoming election just have to take its course?

Civil Rights?

....Oh, so those things are important?

Then focus on THAT before you worry about what Suzy is wearing to her Geometry class.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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