“Your outfit is a sexual distraction.”
“Dressing provocatively will not be tolerated.”
“Inappropriate.”
“Irresponsible.”
“Skank.”
Be it just a daily outfit to school, or a dressed up affair such as homecoming, every day there is an opportunity to express ourselves through the clothes we choose to put on. Everyone has their own style, some more intense and dedicated than others. However, girls across the country are losing this ability to express themselves by being shamed and embarrassed by school officials.
The topic of dress codes and the strict regulations has reached national attention throughout the past few years and continues to gain momentum. The #iammorethanadistraction movement has inspired student protests, walk-outs and parental unrest, because of the evident problems with the priorities of educational staff and the dismissal of the idea of blaming the boys.
No visible midriffs. No spaghetti straps. Shirts must have at least two inches of sleeve. No shoulders can be visible. Bottoms cannot be higher than two inches above the knee. No body hugging clothing. Collarbones must be covered. No piercings. No yoga pants. No ripped jeans. No sandals. No heels. No colored hair. No shaved head. No excessive make-up. No nail polish. And on...and on...and on.
When does it end?
All of these rules are commonly found in dress code pamphlets throughout the country.
One question I have is, "why?" Why do there have to be so many rules, and why do they have to be so strictly enforced? The common answer is that these things are distractions in the school environment. So is the window overlooking the street, so is the spider crawling across the floor, so is a pencil doodling in a notebook. Are schools going to start taking away windows, somehow permanently destroying spiders, and prohibiting pencils and notebooks?
Another explanation for these dress codes is that they provide an environment free of sexual tension and allow both girls and boys to focus on their education rather than how tight a girl's shirt is. The adoption of this principle immediately normalizes the idea of these teenage girls being “sexual distractions.” High school, perhaps the most hormonal environment of all, is not a place where anyone needs to be hearing about sexual distractions. It is a place of learning, respecting, and guiding.
The answer is not to humiliate girls on the spot by publicly punishing them.The answer is not forcing them to walk around in “dress-code violation” adorned clothing issued by the school, like Hester Prynne adorning her “A.” And sending them home and depriving them of their education is DEFINITELY not the proper way to address the situation.
This does not mean that dress codes should all be thrown out and free reign should be granted. Keep some rules, but lighten up. There is no need to use precious time, supposedly for education, to “slut-shame” and publicly humiliate.
Perhaps a better use of time would be teaching boys self-control and that women are to be respected. It is also important to make sure that everyone knows that they are all entitled to an education, free from humiliation and shaming.
