Sexual Subtext in School Uniform

In the 21st century ever student is self-conscious of their body and terrified of not being accepted by others because they are different and in those situations absurd and unjustifiable dress codes have a huge negative impact on the young teen’s lives. How would you feel if your child was treated so unfairly and rudely by not only their peers but also adults which have been taught to teach to 'discipline' this way in school? The results can leave them not only traumatised but also self-conscious and insecure for the rest of their lives.

Being a teenager is hard enough. The impact of society and rules that are so unreasonable yet you can’t argue against them to not be mocked at for standing up for a cause you believe in just because you are ‘still young’ and ‘aren’t old enough to understand’. However, today's society, conflicts, wars between different countries and the thousands of awry rules we have to follow to be ‘perfect teenagers’ have taught us to think and act older, hence why we are now demanding changes which other generations would be too weary to ask for.

Get quality help now

RhizMan

Verified writer

Proficient in: American Education System

4.9 (247)

“ Rhizman is absolutely amazing at what he does . I highly recommend him if you need an assignment done ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

In particular changes in the incompatible dress code that’s only a small problem in today's titanic society.

Many adults and experts comment that female dress codes in schools are strict and mandatory to teach them how to become more presentable and wear appropriate clothing which will help them become more employable in the future. However, are most of them actually needed to become more 'presentable'? Most dress codes go over the line of being acceptable and understanding towards the modern society and due to this, many conflicts between young adults and teachers arise.

The school’s rules are not only absurdum but also sexist and unreasonable. They don’t only make the code extremely challenging to follow due to the variety of body types and what they can and can’t wear but also exceedingly targeting towards the females. In many schools, the female gender has to follow a remarkably strict amount of dress code rules in comparison to the male gender. No leggings, no tight-fitting jeans, no shorts that are above your fingertips when having your arms by your side, no skirts above the knees and even absolutely no tops that show the females shoulder. These rules make choosing an appropriate outfit for school extremely difficult. It can also make shopping excessively problematic especially if you are on a budget or are a different shape or size compared to the 'average' student. These rules are completely irrelevant as most female adults wear clothes that highlight their femininity by showing and highlight parts of their body more than others which is beautiful seeing a woman confident with her body. Yet dress codes limit the young girl's confident and only put them down. How would you feel if your child was going through this?

The immense and unlogic reason why female dress codes are so strict is also because often they can be seen as 'distractions' for males which is undeniably disgusting. Do male teachers feel distracted by their female coworkers when they are wearing 'unprofessional' jeans, dress or top? The only person being unprofessional in that situation would be the male for not respecting the female's body and looking at it like it's an object by which he is turned on by. Often in schools, girls are called out in front of their whole class due to having to leave class to change into more 'appropriate' clothes. This not only leaves her embarrassed but also humiliated and uncomfortable. Furthermore, it interrupts the student's lesson causing the student to be behind on the topic in class."It made me feel like my body wasn't acceptable...It definitely interrupted my day." agreed Addie Lyttle, an eighth-grader from Indiana school. Imagine you were a confused nine year old being scolded for something they had no idea was wrong as you are still fragile and innocent. By making these dress codes schools suggest that girls are sex toys and are being referred to as objects. This not only happens to teens but also children as young as nine years young. " A 9-year-old wore a tank top on a 37.2 degree Celsius day and was told she was violating the school dress code." wrote an outraged grandmother of the child. If you are sexualising a nine-year-old, then you are the problem! In summer a male is allowed to wear a tank top that clearly shows a vast amount of skin. However, it is absolutely unacceptable for a girl to even wear a top that has spaghetti-straps as it apparently causes males to become ‘turned on’, which is an extensive lie. Instead of punishing girls for wearing certain clothes we should teach boys to respect females and not make excuses that they are 'distractions' or even call them 'sex toys' as both genders should be respectful to each other

Some may say that it's only a dress code and that it can't cause any mental or physical harm however if you believe that, you are lying to yourself. Studies have shown that out of 100,000 surveyed students from over 53 campuses over 50,000 of these students feel extreme anxiety and nearly 85% feel unable to cope in school on a daily basis. Imagine the huge negative impact dress codes cause on these young people. "Since starting high school, my mental state has gotten worse ... One thought I had was the change in what I’m allowed to wear....(it's the) cause of my depression worsening..." states a female student. Depression, anxiety, and stress can sometimes drown the student's normal self and can result in them making drastic and even life-threatening decisions. All these life-draining mental illnesses can cause the young person to self-harm, attempt to commit suicide or even succeed in taking their life like 524 females aged 15 to 19 in 2015 in the US. No parents would want to find their child surrounded by a pool of blood due to losing the fight with their mental health issues which started due to a sexist dress code.