Social media has recently been clogged with posts about high school administrations that don’t properly address dress codes. Whether it be a student thrown out for showing shoulder, wearing too short a skirt or leggings, the female population is fighting back against principals and other school officials that deem clothing as “distracting” or “too revealing.”
One of the most recent cases to garner a lot of media attention has been a prom dress incident at a preparatory school in Florida, according to an article from The New York Times. The administration posted fliers, seemingly created through Microsoft Word with the most basic level of skill, telling girls what kind of dresses would be appropriate to wear to the school’s prom, a week away from the date of the postings.
While instituting a dress code is fairly common for dances and even in daily academic life for many high schools, Stanton College Preparatory School went about it entirely the wrong way. The flier showed an appropriate dress included the saying “Going to Stanton Prom? Yes, you are. Good girl.” Each sign showed a dress that either showed a female’s leg, stomach, back or was form-fitting — even the dress that would be approved by the school.
Good thing they told us a week before prom it’s not like everyone has their dress already……. pic.twitter.com/3nOKhSTu4R
— Lily (@LILwillingham) March 27, 2017
It is completely fair for a school to require a dress code for prom. If they were to release a statement detailing the specifics of what attire would be appropriate, for both male and female students, there could be no complaints made against them. However, the way that school administrations address this issue is in a disrespectful and patronizing manner, which leads to an unsafe academic environment.
These fliers, while misguiding and insulting, makes the public question how these even made it past the administration, including a female principal, before they were posted. While the school principal reportedly apologized for the posters later, one has to wonder: when will we stop punishing a woman for what she wears? It should be understood at this point that we should not objectify others based on how they are dressed. Clothing isn’t distracting or disruptive, as this high school’s dress code claims, to any student.
UPDATE for everyone I did not get called to admin and the principal apologized. Also our student body really showed unity today! pic.twitter.com/U7UZ3gR3pv
— Lily (@LILwillingham) March 28, 2017
Shoulders, stomachs and backs aren’t intimate, private or sexualized body parts. By banning their exposure, schools are creating the concept that they should be. This is a story we’ve all heard multiple times. Schools are banning clothing that aren’t truly provocative or inappropriate, but that could be distracting to males in the class. While this situation is also different because it is prom rather than a class period, the argument is still fundamentally flawed. It should not be a women’s job to change her appearance and clothing based on how a man will react. Women, especially those trying to learn, should not have to be conscientious of their bare back or shoulders when choosing an outfit. This is prom, for god’s sake. It is also insulting to assume that all men can’t control themselves based on what women wear.
The inherent problem with this school’s fliers is the angle they’re taking. Rather than telling students to act respectfully no matter what dresses are worn, the school is limiting options for the female student body. They’re teaching men and women that the problem is one for women to change rather than men to solve. It sets the precedent that it’s on women to control how men react to their clothing and bodies.
The school is targeting girls, and just girls, at a time when they’re already subject to vulnerability and insecurity. Prom and the entire process of dressing up and looking your best can be a big moment for young females and males alike. Policing the bodies of students makes them more anxious and insecure, creating negative feelings at an event that should be the celebration of their high school lives. Official administrative statements permits the student body, both boys and girls, to shame girls’ outfits and bodies. Now that these fliers have been seen, even though the administration apologized for their wording, girls who wear similar dresses will be called out. The damage is already done.
