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Markita Schulman

Dress Codes Are Sexist & Homophobic - 45 views

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started by Markita Schulman on 30 May 13
  • Markita Schulman
    #1 Markita Schulman on 30 May 13
     
    What do you think about the argument made in this Huffington Post article? Do you agree that dress codes are fueled by homophobia and/or sexism? Or is this over-sensitive and one-sided?
    What relationship does the "distracting" issue have with rape culture?

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/soraya-chemaly/school-dress-code_b_2711533.html
  • Holly Parkin
    #2 Holly Parkin on 30 May 13
     
    I thought this article was great - it did a perfect job out outlining basically every problem with the ridiculous dress codes in the U.S. today. You can just take a look at MVMS's dress code and see how women are far more subjected to sexualization than men. And it goes both ways - men are instantly assumed to be constantly sexually active, and cannot be trusted to not get "distracted" by a girl's body. While I agree that a school should prohibit obviously offensive clothing, like a t-shirt with the word "slut" on it, or a racist slur, etc., but permitting a girl from wearing spaghetti straps or shorts? Really? What kind of person looks at a girl's shoulder and gets instantly turned on by that? At the end of the day, I do believe that dress codes only serve to create a foundation for sexist beliefs later in life, and that they need to be fixed - especially in a neighborhood like Mill Valley, where I would expect equal rights for all.
  • Dom Quaranta
    #3 Dom Quaranta on 30 May 13
     
    I find the argument made from students and teachers basically saying that the way certain students dress is"distracting" very ridiculous and juvenile. Unless the school you attend has a strict dress code policy, I think the freedom of wearing what you wish (within reason) is a right that students who attend public and non-uniform private schools love. Here at Tam, short shorts and tiny tee-shirts are often cracked down upon as well as the guys with their pants almost around their ankles. The distribution of attention between the two genders however is far from equal.
  • Sam Allen
    #4 Sam Allen on 30 May 13
     
    I think this article might be a little bit over sensitive on the homophobia issue, although the argument does make sense to me. However, this article tied more into the rape culture. Schools are more likely trying to prevent the idea that women are just "pretty objects" for boys to look at. When girls dresses inappropriately, it may somewhat distract the boy from his work (a tiny bit), but it ultimately gives him the idea that she's just an object for looking at and having sex with, and the girl isn't seen like an individual with feelings and smarts like she really is. Girls these days seem to be somewhat "expected" to expose a little bit of skin to attract male attention, but too much fuels the concept of "rape culture" at schools, as the boys take the clothing as a gesture that the girl wants to engage in sexual activities.
  • Bella Levaggi
    #5 Bella Levaggi on 30 May 13
     
    While schools often attempt to place restrictions on guys' clothing (sagging/drug reference shirts), in no way are they equally reprimanded for breaking the rules.

    The argument for banning "skimpy" female clothing on the grounds that it is distracting is wildly sexist. It's not up to women to solve males' perceived inability to concentrate when in proximity to bare skin. I think that this mindset stems from the problematic "Boys will be boys" excuse that is used to laugh off much of the wrongdoing of young boys. We can't necessarily expect men to be courteous to women/hold themselves accountable for their actions if we don't raise them in such a way.
  • Veronica Russell
    #6 Veronica Russell on 30 May 13
     
    The message that women should not distract men with their clothing is ridiculous. If it really is distracting, we should tell me not to be distracted, let them be accountable for their own actions. It's similar to rape culture- people tell women not to be raped (ie don't wear skimpy clothing) but not nearly as many people tell men not to rape. Girls should be allowed to wear what they want, it shouldn't be up to them to try to control how much desire people feel. It's sexist. I do agree however that women should know boundaries. The author said something along the lines of girls shouldn't wear clothes they'd wear to a concert to school, and I agree, girls should dress for the occasion.
  • Jackie O'Boyle
    #7 Jackie O'Boyle on 30 May 13
     
    I think this article was cool but this topic of dress code is constantly talked about. Dress code is always a question at school and sometimes it is talked about too much. Yes I agree there should be a dress code but the fact that people bring up how girls can be distracting int heir outfits is ridiculous. Some girls should probably cover up a lot more but I think that should just be because they respect themselves not because the boys are getting distracted.
  • Zatar Omar
    #8 Zatar Omar on 30 May 13
     
    A dress code should be implemented under the motives of keeping students dressing appropriately, there are some flaws in this system, but it's intentions are pure. I feel to describe the way females dress as distracting is not right it should be that they are not meeting the school dress code. The dress code is there to keep a school as a place for formal education. The message that women should manage their clothes to not distract men is very sexist as why not the other way around? Students should dress for occasion at school and follow the dress code only as a part of following school law.
  • Aaron Newman
    #10 Aaron Newman on 30 May 13
     
    I'd say that dress codes are still valuable - for both sexes - in high school, because as forward-thinking as we may claim to be (self-expression through clothing, yahoo!), a certain standard of appropriateness should be maintained, if only because high school is populated with young people blooming into their sexualities; in short, high schoolers are horny. Revealing clothing is more distracting to short-attentioned, hormonal teens than to anyone else.
  • Riley Kuffner
    #11 Riley Kuffner on 04 Jun 13
     
    I think that the argument made in this article is eye-opening to some underlying issues of dress codes. I used to attend a school with a set uniform and there is no doubt that it was done in an effort to discourage individualism. Whether this is individualism that would distract boys, or bring undo attention to a LGTBQ kid, it's all the same. I don't know that sexism and homophobia are intended messages sent in schools' efforts to limit individualism, but they are perceived loud and clear from an outside source. The article does fail to look into other potential benefits of a dress code. Especially when students are seven years old, I don't know how much sexism applies, but the concept of limiting individualism to keep students from acting out and getting in trouble seems more applicable. The "distracting" issue is another one of those unspoken, but evident messages in today's culture that helps create an environment where rape is possible. It is one ingredient in a large recipe of factors.
  • Madeleine Elias
    #14 Madeleine Elias on 04 Jun 13
     
    I'd say this article makes all kinds of valid points. Girls are not responsible for keeping boys from getting "distracted" by what they might be wearing. It's true that there are a lot of hormones flying around in high school, but girls are always singled out as the distracting ones. You don't hear guys getting criticized for being distracting to girls with the way they dress, yet it can happen just as easily as the other way around. The whole concept of a girl's outfit being distracting reminds me a lot of the idea that a girl who was raped provoked it because of what she was wearing.
    This whole issue is part of a much more widespread, deep-seated problem about the social standards and expectations that women are subjected to in our society.

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