By, Michael Cordova, Columnist
The dress code is fine just the way it is. There, now it’s been said. It’s not something to dance around, and it should no longer be a game of he said she said.
Before any sort of opinion can be formed on the dress code you first have to know what exactly the dress code is. No hats. Got a short skirt? Wear leggings, but you can’t wear the leggings alone. Anything low cut, strapless, spaghetti strapped or anything exposing midriff is not allowed. Nothing gang affiliated. No exposed underwear. And no flags.
Now I believe that none of those items are sexist. Not saying some of them are not aimed at women but none of these rules are discriminating anyone, as by definition discriminating would mean something to be unjust. None of these restrictions are unjust. In a professional environment, which school is, exposure is just not allowed. It’s not because someone is being targeted for their gender, it’s to create a “safe” environment for every person to learn, or in schools case, also to teach.
Now comes the argument of what exactly a safe environment entails. Most cases it is a matter of least amount of distractions. The kid in the back of the class talking is a distraction. The guy throwing paper at his friend is a distraction. Wearing a shirt with a neckline deeper than it should be is a distraction, and that goes for anyone, no matter the gender of the person wearing it.
As hard as it is to believe, it is a distraction. Not because we are guys and we want to look because ‘hey bro look at her wooaahh’, rather because of real science and how the male body works compared to a female’s. The male has as much as six times the amount of testosterone in his body then that of a girls. We didn’t ask for it, it’s how it works. And what that does is puts the male brain on an auto pilot. There’s a lot more gross science that anyone wishing to argue the ‘he shouldn’t be staring’ point should really look into, or just do it to be knowledgeable (http://www.livescience.com/41619-male-female-brains-wired-differently.html).
Same goes for guys. We aren’t aloud to sag, because you can’t show underwear. And I can guarantee that if a guy showed up to
class without a shirt he’d get called out. Same as he would if he were exposing his bra strap or his stomach or his cleavage. The reason that it looks so one sided is not because of a targeting system on women, it’s a culture thing. Men’s fashion is ruled by whose polo or jersey is the most expensive and how gucci or boat shoes are, we would not only be dresscoded for wearing unruly clothing, but would also be made fun of for dressing that way.
This is a no fault situation, but still something that is something everyone wants to avoid. You don’t want to be stared at, the boy does not want to be suspended for sexual harassment, all administration wants to do is take out the situation as a whole rather than deal with it on a case by case basis where it is word against word.
The real issue doesn’t lie with what the dress code is but how it is enforced. The staff first off needs to understand what the dress code is 100% in and out, and then make sure it is enforced every single time the rule is broken. There is no point in having a dress code if it becomes two girls having the same outfit and only one getting in trouble. At this point it’s got to be an all or nothing situation, either enforce your dress code properly or don’t enforce it at all. The choosing game is the most dangerous to play because that is when people feel singled out. Singling someone out is unfair and unjust treatment or in better terms, discriminatory.
Read the counterargument at: http://rangeviewraiders.info/?p=2577