School dress codes are impacting local teens

Although dress codes in schools are designed to be gender inclusive, they target girls. Yes, nobody is allowed to wear short shorts and have bra straps showing, but the only ones who really have to worry about it are girls.

Now, I understand that students shouldn’t go to school naked or anything like that, but the things that girls are taught not to wear at school are completely normal to wear in everyday life. And, even if people did get distracted by bra straps (which, I’m sorry, they don’t, and if you do, then you need to get over it and realize that breasts require bras *gasp*) then it’s not the girls fault, but it’s the person who’s getting distracted by them. After all, they are the ones who aren’t engaging in class, not the girl. Blaming the bra-wearer for what the guy is doing is victim blaming. She’s the one who is being sexualized in an obviously non-sexual environment.

These clothing ‘guidelines’ teach girls that their bodies have to be kept hidden and secret, like it’s something to be ashamed of, and they teach boys to objectify women’s bodies, and that they are solely made to please them. We need to teach teens that their bodies, as well as other people’s bodies, are to be respected, and we can do this by eliminating extreme dress codes that are commonplace in today’s schools.

This story was originally published December 29, 2016 at 1:17 PM with the headline "School dress codes are impacting local teens."