We Must End the Misogyny in School Dress Codes

By: Mya Gaddis

As a female student in high school, I often wonder how others view me and what choice of words they would use to describe my appearance to others. When I first meet someone, the first thing I notice is what they are wearing. To me, fashion is a way of expressing personality and introducing myself without actually having to say anything. When school was in session, I planned on figuring out what clothes I liked, and what my style is over the summer. I’m broken-hearted that I will not be attending school this year because of COVID-19; however, one of the perks of not going to school is not having to follow the dress code. I’m not particularly fond of my school's dress code to be quite frank. The only reason why I comply is that as someone who cares rather profoundly about their future, I don’t want to miss a few minutes of instruction discussing with an administrator over the clothing I wear. Not only would I come back to class confused since I missed information, but it would also be a waste of the administration’s time and mine.

A few standard dress code rules are no ripped jeans, no spaghetti straps, and shirts having to cover the lower part of your body when wearing yoga pants. It’s being noticed by students and parents how girls are more likely to be singled out when it comes to disobeying the dress code their school assigns. The very fact that girls are singled out demonstrates how now at some schools, even the parents are starting to catch sight of how the school system targets females and how boys can frequently get away with breaking dress code. It also makes shopping hard for the parents that have daughters because they are not thinking about the dress code and neither are clothing brands. Parents and clothing brands are looking for what fashion trends their kids feel good and look well wearing. CNN wrote an article about dress codes, and they had included a comment someone had left on a past post. The comment said, “Sometimes we do have to wear things we aren't wild about. I didn't like wearing my lab coat, scrubs, goggles, but I did it.". This comment upsets me because the dress code for public schools and dress code in a science lab are practiced for two completely different reasons. The difference between breaking the two rules is that one of them can give you a week of detention, and the other could leave you exposed to chemicals that could mildly injure, or maybe even kill you.

An additional problem with standard dress codes is that it can lead to low self-esteem and mental health issues. When a teacher comes up to a girl telling them to change, they will often feel as if it is their fault that others find what she is wearing inappropriate; this emotion is especially common in little girls. Girls are often told throughout their youth about what they can and can’t wear, but then are advised not to be ashamed of who they are and not to let others tell them they can’t like something. Most girls, and students in general, feel a sense of confusion and anxiety when a teacher calls on them just to tell them to change their clothes. What is worse is when a teacher tells them to stop having an attitude whenever the student tries to ask the reason for them being dress coded. The only people who are honestly bothered by what kids are wearing to school are the staff.

In short, humanity needs to be more open-minded. Society needs to stop saying, “boys will just be boys” as an excuse as to why they can do certain things that would be considered “unladylike” if women did them. For someone with my height and size, it is already challenging to find clothes that don’t dangle off my arms and legs. Women would not complain about dress codes if the school system and society would stop sexualizing them. Why should girls have to change because of something the other gender might do? As a young lady, having someone come up to you and asking about what you are wearing in an insulting way is a punch to the gut. Schools claim dress code is there to not distract from learning when in reality; it makes young girls insecure about their bodies, which can later in life turn into emotional trauma and mental health issues. We must change school dress code policies to help end the discrimination towards young women in our school systems.