‘Teach Boys To Focus, Not Girls To Cover Up’: Teens’ Protest Over ‘Sexist’ School Dress Code Goes Viral
A group of teenagers from the Natomas Charter School, a performing arts school in Sacramento, decided they’ve had enough with its rules, telling them how to look. So they staged a protest.
In an attempt to challenge the school’s “sexist” dress-code, the students uncovered their midriffs.
One of the protesters, Evita, who is known on TikTok as @baggyjeanmom, also shared a video from the day she and some of her classmates made their point.
The recording shows girls and boys in tank tops with notes written across their bodies. “Distraction” was the main word, inked with a sharpie on several students’ stomachs.
@baggyjeanmomwe started this all because our principal was going to have an assembly abt dress code so day of the assembly we did this. (There was a reason)♬ original sound – Sickickmusic
The video already has over 3.4 million views
Image credits: baggyjeanmom
Image credits: baggyjeanmom
The students also hung signs calling out administrators for insinuating their bodies are a distraction.
“Teach boys to focus, not girls to cover up,” one sign read, while another said: “If children’s midriffs distract you, you should not be working with children.”
At the end of the clip, Evita said the protest has led to the school having “a real talk to change the dress code,” but she also added that some people got “kicked out” that day.
Image credits: baggyjeanmom
Image credits: baggyjeanmom
After her TikTok blew up, Evita made a follow-up video, explaining that the protest was timed with a school assembly on dress code, and that it was staged due to a number of students feeling that the current dress code “was sexist towards women and also perpetuating rape culture.”
“We, as students, feel like what we wear is not distracting towards others and not affecting anyone’s learning environment,” she said.
Image credits: baggyjeanmom
Image credits: baggyjeanmom
One person said in the comments, “These little kids are gonna have a really hard time getting a job in the future if they can’t understand the basics of dress code.”
But the teenager claimed she’s fully aware of the fact that neither she, nor her friends will be able to flaunt their stomachs once they graduate and enter into the professional world.
“We know we are going to have a dress code when we get older and possibly have uniforms with whatever job that comes, but right now we are in school, and we are in a learning environment,” she said
“We should not have to be kicked out of class just because we are wearing a crop top… I shouldn’t be the only one speaking on this topic and that’s why we are having this meeting.”
Image credits: baggyjeanmom
Image credits: baggyjeanmom
Image credits: baggyjeanmom
Image credits: baggyjeanmom
Evita said she talked to her favorite teacher about the protest and while he believes the students “could have had a better approach to it,” he still stands by them. She said he “understands” them, and she agrees with him.
Image credits: baggyjeanmom
Image credits: baggyjeanmom
Image credits: baggyjeanmom
Image credits: baggyjeanmom
Image credits: baggyjeanmom
Joe Wood, the executive director of Natomas, told The Independent that the school’s dress code “is intentionally gender neutral” and that “many of them had not read our dress code.”
Image credits: baggyjeanmom
Here are some of the most popular comments under the videos
It's been reported that even women in Iraq have experienced harassment while being covered from head to toe. With that in mind, when will people understand that the real issue is never the dress/clothes?
some men can't control them selves and are not man enough to admit it even to their self , so they blame the women to feel better about their sorry ass
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As a guy from a recent BP article said, "If girls who like girls can control themselves, I don't think the problem is what they're wearing."
Yeah, lesbian here. It's honestly not that hard. I don't even notice when girls stomachs or shoulders are showing unless we're in a room alone, which is a whole different story. If it's a classroom full of people and like two girls have their shoulders exposed, honestly it's not a big deal.
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The people who buy into the dress codes think men are too stupid and weak minded to control themselves. They're also the ones that blame victims for rape.
Load More Replies... As someone who was constantly sent to the office for dress code I will say its not the teenage boys who are the issue. Its grown ass middle age men who cant fathom being in a building with a woman he cant have sex with. Because the women are children.
You do realize that the teachers are required to enforce the dress code, right? Female teachers send students to the office for dress code violations as well.
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Unpopular opinion. As a teacher myself, I have always been in favor of a school dress code. After teaching overseas and in the United States, I can say that a lot of this stems from US cultural differences. To some it somehow equates to trampling on their individuality. School uniforms help create a sense of professionalism and studies have shown it reduces incidents of bullying. It also establishes a sense of cohesion and helps those students who do come from a lower socio-economic class to not feel pressure on what to wear.
That's a uniform, not a dress code. And when applied evenly to everyone it's not a problem. The problem is that girls are policed where boys are not. In most cases when boys break dress code it has to be a case of violence or literally not wearing a shirt or something like that. Whereas if a girl's bra strap happens to slip down her shoulder she gets sent to the office for being a distraction and being too sexual. It is not evenly applied, it targets girls.
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I totally support this! I get really pissed off about the idea that a girls shoulders have to be covered in school because it's a "distraction". 100 years ago a woman's ankles were also a distraction. How about we move forwards and not backwards. I hate double standards and sexism and that's all these dress codes are!
Why do you think it is a double standard? How many boys do you know that were allowed to show their shoulders in school?
Load More Replies... And that means getting rid of sexist dress codes and letting kids wear their own clothing. Because these girls are fighting AGAINST being objectified.
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Dress codes should be the same for everyone at a school, and the school should absolutely have one. It would be ironic to pretend to have any wisdom on focus in a comment on BP, so all I will say is focus is hard. At school I found girls distracting no matter what they wore, but I also found boys, sounds, smells, the view outside, my own daydreams and countless other things distracting, and so it goes.
The principal of the school already said that the dress code is the same for both boys and girls.
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You know, boys (and men) in other countries can control themselves. There is something wrong with US upbringing and education of boys in general in my opinion.
And specifically the girls who CHOSE to dress this way act different then when they are dressed more conservatively. Dress code helps conduct enforcement BOTH ways. These girls did not dress this way because it was going to be 110 ferinhight that day. They dressed that way to get attention. How else would you explain the long sleeves combined with the mid-drift?
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Unpopular opinion, feel free to attack me (you always do): dress code is to show respect to school not something that shouldn't attract attention of boys. It's like you need to dress properly when you go to court, or when you are a teacher or medical doctor or whatever, it's not about sexuality (which is disturbing anyway as we are talking about children here) it's about respect. No one says you have to cover head to toe, just dress respectfully for school it's not such big deal. Boys also have to dress respectfully for school, it's not allowed for them to appear in shorts or bermuda pants or in some beach tops. This is just pure nonsense, seeking attention. Feel free to dress however you want when you go out, of course, be careful, because the world is still dangerous place no matter what you think, but for some occasions, it's just the good manners to dress in more elegant and respectful ways. And why so many children are so eager to grow up so soon? Be a child, it's once in life!
the issue is dress code isnt enforced for guys. they're just asking for some freaking equality. when i was small we had a water day at school. the boys could wear swim trunks and no top, but the girls had to wear knee length shorts and long sleeves. because according to the school, while the boys going shirtless was fine, the female body was not.
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Teaching guys not to be distracted is a big job... I can tell you that as a teenage boy, girls are very distracting. But it is a job worth taking on, because that's an important skill for the boy to have for the rest of his life. I think it is a bit unfair people who attack the staff by saying "men who are distracted by children's bodies shouldn't be teaching children"... because these are teenagers, not children. As a society we have decided that teenagers are "off limits" for older men (and that is 100% a good decision), but for a few hundred thousand years that wasn't the case, and a man's brain by default is wired to be attracted to young women. Which goes back to "teaching boys to not be distracted". If you teach a guy early how to override their instinctual urges with rational and ethical thoughts, it will come in handy for the rest of their life. (for reasons beyond just this)
I support these girls making a statement that they are not sexual objects. If someone can go to school in pajamas... what's wrong with a crop top? I believe that there needs to be a line drawn somewhere though, like you can't go to school in your underwear.
And that line needs to be evenly applied. Plenty of guys in my high school wore tank tops but because they were sports jerseys no one cared. Girl wore a tank top and suddenly her sexy shoulders were just too much and she had to cover up
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The principal of the school said the dress code is gender neutral.
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School is about education but also about how to have appropriate work behaviors. That is why i am for uniforms because very few places you work dooesn't require you to adhere to a dress code.
Most work places don't require a uniform. You just have certain dress requirements, but you are able to choose within them. Even places that require suits still allow different color ties, for example.
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The only 'distraction' I see here are those pants, because they're f*****g awesome.
where is the end point of the dress code revisions? should children be allowed to arrive literally naked to school? It sounds absurd, but the same argument can be used for nudity as for midriff-bearing attire. Are we going to have walkouts for full nudity in 10 years? Where is the limit of acceptability in student's clothes?
Truth Monster, I agree with you. While I absolutely agree that girls shouldn't be asked to "cover up because they're a distraction" I don't think that going to school in what basically is your underwear is acceptable. And I mean this for girls, boys, teachers. I mean, try going to work in your swimsuit and claiming it's freedom of expression...
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Back in the late '80s, my school had a more rigid dress code for boys than girls: skirts were OK, but shorts were forbidden. Straps were OK for girls, but not guys. Bellybuttons peeped out from girls' shirts, but short shirts were forbidden for boys. Certainly no-one ever suggested the dress code was to prevent TEACHERS from being distracted by students. I'm not impressed that kids want to dress sexier or cooler. At our school, the boys protested in hot weather by wearing skirts. In the 1980s.
I agree, but also teach your daughters to value themselves and not dress skimpy in public. I see girls dress in things that should only be for the bedroom out in public. I would never allow my daughter to dress like that
I volunteer w a child advocacy group. I got involved w it bc my daughter was dress coded bc she grew breasts. I had so many complaints from other kids about how they were being treated that I called a meeting w the board and had a child advocate come in to help me. It's appalling the way young girls are held responsible for boys and men's feelings and actions. It's very sad the stories I hear and I struggle w being able to handle it.
I think the point is that boys are held to the same standards or stricter standards.
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Some men: "Women can't control their emotions." Same men: "Your bra strap is distracting me!"
I am so with this. If boys and God forbid teachers get distracted by girls showing skin then it's not the girl's problem
The standards for boys are as strict or stricter at most schools.
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Uniforms suck. No one wants to dress the same as everyone else. Let students choose their own t-shirts. No one wants to have to change clothes every time they come home from school.
Load More Replies... I'm not American so from what I see on the internet the dress codes you guys have are mostly stupid. Obviously, teaching not to stare is essential, and any teacher or student involved in non-consensual acts is a criminal. But schools are not fashion shows, I wouldn't dress to impess or compete or anything like that. I'm not sure how much this applies to some of these cases but if we don't feel okay with ourselves no matter what we wear then there are more problem that we should solve. Just like there are people who dress in a way they feel comfortable, there are people who dress in a way so that they can feel better about themselves. Kids and teenagers shouldn't "show skin" or "dress in a way" just because people or other teens would judge them otherwise. Let people dress how they like, but some clothes shouldn't be marketed to children, don't sexualize kids with clothes that are like swimsuits.
First of all, none of these clothes are like swimsuits. Secondly it's not about a fashion show it's about being comfortable and expressing yourself how you like. Clothing is one of the few things teenagers have control over I'm one of the few ways they're able to express themselves freely. Lastly, clothes don't sexualize kids. People looking at them and deciding to see things as sexual is what sexualizes them. If you looking at a girl with her shoulder showing or her belly showing makes you think sexual thoughts that is your problem and not hers
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Well this is just ridiculous, it is a school, it should have a dress code it should outline what boys and girls can and can't wear, crop tops, short shorts, foul language, racist, and offensive clothing should all be part of a dress code, obviously these kids are missing the point of the dress code, as one pointed out in a professional atmosphere these outfits would not be acceptable, and thus shouldnt be accepted in a "learning" environment
Girls wear tight tops and short shorts to get attention !! I have a daughter and I know all about it and I advise her on what looks appropriate ! And wearing short shorts and tight cleavage showing tops to school is not appropriate at all ! The school should have uniform that is all the same for boys and girls that is it so all can look the same and stop this generation of entitlement
Back in the day we had coed swimming for PE classes. How did the world not explode? We were all in swimsuits!!
Don't get me wrong but most of (even adult) men can NOT concentrate when a sexy lady is somewhere around. That's a fact. But NOT a reason for women to cover up. 👍🏻 for the brave students!
I love this! I agree with everything they're saying and the entire movement. Our stomachs and shoulders are not "distracting" the boys! And if they are distracting someone, they should not be allowed around us at school! TEACH BOY TO STOP RAPING US, NOT US TO HIDE OUR BODIES SO THEY STOP!!!!!!!
They are lucky to be able to wear their own clothes and not some frumpy uniform.
just this morning I was wearing a long sleeve top that was little short(just over my waist of my pants, no stomach was even exposed) and it was slightly sheer and so aparantely it was innapropriate cause it showed my chest? anyway she called me "descarada" (shameless in spanish) and said if i got called out don't even tell her because apparantely it would be my fault. seriously??? even if i was wearing a low cut crop top and shorts, that doesn't give anyone the right to say stuff about my body. I can wear what I want without anyone saying creepy ass stuff about me. this s**t is f****d up. note:I'm legit in middle school. a MIDDLE SCHOOLER should have to worry about creeps saying stuff about her body and therefore not wear what she feels good in? This s**t is crazy..
I got banned from FB for commenting that someone claiming women ought to cover up more to avoid getting raped was a garbage human. Apparently saying that was worse than thinking women who get raped are responsible for it.
This is so useless "movement"... If you can entertain yourself with such a crap, you have very happy and good life.
i grew up in the 80's..when I was in high school, my girlfriends & I wore baggy JNCO jeans & crop tops all day long. it was never ever an issue. Why is it an issue now? Society has changed...and unfortunately not for the better.
Boys always "focus." On the girls. Telling boys to focus around girls is like telling a fish to live out of water.
It has always annoyed me that in the hot weather, men can ride a bike, run, mow their lawn etc. with just shorts on and the breeze on their torsos, while women have to wear artificial fiber, elastic bra material squeezed tightly around their chest covered by yet another layer of fabric.
Yup. It's all about boys being taught that self control is expected of them.
I think dress codes should exist, but not concerning girls covering up to prevent "distractions". Tank tops and shorts when it's hot makes sense, but bare midriffs are inappropriate in MOST places. And 15 y/o Susie doesn't need her tits hanging out ANYWHERE.
So many women/feminist think so many men can't control themselves around bare bodies and call them perverted or other names. So why wear provocative clothing and purposely run the risk of exciting some pervert? I could think of a few choice names for them....
High school in the 60s: You will be made to kneel on the floor to check that your skirt is below your knees. Tops neither too low nor too high. Guys have to wear shirts tucked in and belts on pants. No colored T-shirts. College early 70s: Long dress code similar to high school. First class, there is a girl in a bikini with a lacy top, a guy wearing swim trunks with an open shirt. Okay... my trunk of clothes is totally inappropriate. Shorten all my skirts and bring jeans and shorts from home.
Schools really need to wise up. Why is dress code that would be unacceptable for adults and would cause a strike or walkout, being imposed on the kids? They have right to be treated fairly as well, without overbearing dress codes. Never mind the schools having zero-tolerance for this and that, yet, when the kids do ask for help, they are seen as "troublemakers" and should put up with it, where if it was an adult, police would be called instantly for the mobbing or assaults with charges pressed. If you really want to change this nonsense, it's time to get tough on unacceptable behavior, both from the school and from any abusers.
I have mixed feelings on this. On the one hand, I think the teenage boys would appreciate having female classmates that don't have to cover up. Hopefully they can focus on school work while still having attractively dressed girls in class. On the other hand, why do these girls think that the boys have it any better when it comes to the dress code? If anything, I think most school administrations would come down harder on the boys because there aren't as many "socially acceptable" ways for boys to dress.
The actual problem here is that women are shown that their bodies are only sexual. That we can't just be and have a body without it being sexual. Men are allowed to do that, women are not. The female body represents sex. The male body represents humanity. It's dumb. Any part of our body is sexual because it's female. It doesn't matter if it's ankles, shoulders, boobs, or knees. It doesn't matter what part it is, just that it's female and that means sex. However, the female body is first and foremost a functional tool females use to exist in the world, without it, we don't exist. Stop making the existence of a female body somehow an implication of sex, sexuality, or sexual desire. I'm sick of it. Just let me be.
The dress codes for boys in schools are as strict or stricter than for the girls.
Load More Replies... This one seems more than sexist on the surface. It is sexist though and though. Why do the girls want to show their mid drift. It is because sexist others promote it for girls and not for boys. Why do girls have a desire to wear short skirts? It is because sexist. Why don't boys wear short skirts to school? it is because sexist. Why do girls wear bras? Sexist. Why is it okay for boys to play "Shirts and skins"? Because sexist. If the school is not sexist, then it would require the same dress code across the genders. If it is okay for Boys to play "Shirts and Skins" then it should be okay for Girls to play "Shirts and Skins" Or the whole system is sexist. Solution. One dress code for all! One code of conduct for all! One set of rules for All! There should never be something that is or is not okay because gender. Okay to hit a boy? Sexist. Not okay to hit a girl? Sexist. Not okay to hit no matter the gender? Much better.
The school already has a dress code that is the same for both genders.
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Back when I was in the last year of school, I was faced with a new head master, who rightfully so was nicknamed Mr Tool, I stood up against his strict rules. Coats were outside only - not in corridors. No trainers on breaks. No eating food outside the cafeteria, ect. (Is a uniform school) I won with; unrealistic expectations, and causing students to jam the doorways when it rains. Trainers were sports and hygiene reasons and eating where ever you want was won due to eating disorders, bullying and anxieties, after drilling in their head for weeks about mental health (Still wasn't huge awareness in 2006) I got suspended for a week because I created a group in which people were able to voice their opinions about the 30+ strict rule changes dropped on us at the start of the year, which wasn't accessible from the school. Two females got suspended for 2 days after hearing of my suspension; walked into the heads office and called him twat. lol
I'd do the same thing every time over and have quite a lot of respect for students standing up for themselves.
Load More Replies... This generation of kids is so unbelievably overflowing with self-entitlement and completely convinced they're the victims of everyone around them. Climb down off the cross and go try to learn something. Nobody's looking at you anyway.
if nobody's looking why cant they wear it and why are they getting dress coded for it?
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Agree with the concept, albeit you can't have everything every way. Dress codes are put in place and you need to abide by them. When they get older they will have to abide by them at work, so better get used to it. Also, tell me no one hasn't noticed that 90% of the people in this protest are all attention seekers anyways.
Some of these girls blame the boys for misogyny, saying that they should be taught to focus. There's no way in hell you can stop a horny teenage boy from gawking at girls. The real misogynists are then men who put the dress codes in place. And, if those men are distracted by these young girls, they shouldn't be allowed within 5 miles of a school.
What is so wrong or hard about being decently covered at school? If you wish to walk around half naked then go to the beach or something.
its about equality because boys can wear it and girls cant
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As a white male boomer, what distresses me most about this post is the punctuation: not only a comma where there should be a full stop, but a space before rather than after the offending comma! Horrors! Who cares if they want to sun their belly buttons? Concentrate on the essentials, like punctuation and clear thinking and writing.
Yugan, because they want to sun their belly buttons, is the reason that they don't concentrate on essentials.
Load More Replies... Good for them, I hope they keep protesting until the school changes the dress code. From what has already been shared, looks like they have a good chance, and they seem very determined.
The school has the same dress code for the boys already.
Load More Replies... Your at school not a party ! Dress appropriately like you are in a professional place seriously
What is a skinny pass? My favourite quote is about not being suitable to work with children. Too right!
This awesome! Young women are getting stronger every generation!! I think people often forget that bad people exist and it’s no ones fault. Some people truly enjoy rape, inflicting pain and just general chaos and it’s never the victims fault.
Tara, strong women do not dress like prostitutes. They do not need to.
Load More Replies... For me is just about what you learn at home. I have eyes, and if I see something that I like, I look. No one notices. So no one feels bothered. I look, I don't stare. I look, I don't harass, i don't say anything to them, I don't criticize, I don't ... like I said, it's what you learn at home. You have to respect women. They are not toys. They are not your property. They most likely don't want anything with you. Leave them the f*^k alone please. Thanks. Peace.
I love that you young people took the school to task over them dictating what young ladies wear. Young women have beautiful bodies!!! You should be able to wear what you want but not to the point of looking like a hooker. If young men can't control their urges maybe you need to seek professional help. Serial killers have deviant thoughts and they all started out young. worked at FedEx
Tiktok activists just for a day. It will be great if they keep the activism, everyday.
Girls are the problem in the first place. They intentionally dress provocatively to get boys attention. And when they get it but because schools give them dress codes or they get raped then they cry about. You can't have your cake and eat it too. So quit being a s**t and grow up
When I went to school we had uniforms and girls had to wear shirt and trousers or a sensible skirt and I was always getting turned on by seeing the tops of their knickers, bra through shirt etc etc It's a nice idea to train teenage boys not to be turned on by girls but it's never going to happen lol
There is 'should' but teenage boys get turned on by anything. When I went to school girls had to wear shirt and trousers or sensible skirt and I would get turned on by seeing the top of knickers, bras through shirt etc
Also girls: "It's my choice to wear hijab because if my body makes a man aroused, I will go to hell. I choose to go to heaven."
That has to do with religion, and quite frankly that women has every right to want to cover up. Not all women are the same. I would never wear a crop top but I still support these girls.
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I sincerely hope these kids never lose their fight. This generation gives me hope.
What these particular girls are fighting for, Amanda, is to be allowed What are these particular girls fighting for, Amanda? It sure is not respect.
Load More Replies... I am so proud of these kids. They can wear whatever they want, let them go nude if they wish. Those prudish rules are ridiculous and do not belong in our time. They will always be kids, if you're attracted to them, it's on you, not their clothes!
Konpat, and what these kids will be when they "grow' up?
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And just wait till they join the Adult World and realize that companies have dress codes, ones these entitled little snots will either follow or get terminated. The companies won't care in the least for the opinions of these snowflakes. The world is full of rules. Just because you don't like them doesn't mean you don't have to follow them. Now, sure, good ahead and downvote, but, realize that there is a real world out there.
Dresscodes become more and more obsolete. If you don't have client contact no friend of mine has a company dresscode. I even go barefood every summer. And: you chose your work, you don't chose your school in most cases.
Load More Replies... This feel like less an issue of being told to "cover up" and more an issue of not being able to "express" their individuality. I attended public school in the 90s and we had all the same kinds of kids in my school. We occasionally butted heads with school administration over rules, including dress codes. When we did disagree, we sat down with the administration, had a discussion and either found common ground or didn't. We never had this circus we see playing out online. The one thing we didn't have was Social Media!!! I think Social Media is making it impossible for groups to come together and have a real discussion. Instead Social Media helps create camps from which groups lobs word bombs at each other and never actually TALK!!!!
"We eventually sat down and had an actual conversation with the school..."
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Yeah, but they threaten to fire you if you come to work dressed like Iron Man
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so what should young boys be taught according to you? 1) you can learn them to not act inappropriate. So don't touch or talk innapropriate to girls 2) you can't tell them to not be distracted by just telling them to not be distracted. That takes time and some maturing. 3) not to watch : i don't think watching around in public should be forbidden. If you wear something in public, you are allowing people to look at you. You can learn them good manners to not stare at best.
They should be taught that girls are humans that have rights and the fact that she’s dressed scantily is NOT an invitation to harass her or assault her. Heck, she could be naked and you STILL don’t have a right to assault her. The fact that boys would be distracted by girls’ midriffs/shoulders/legs is something that most certainly can be taught against, BEFORE they are grown. The issue is also with male teachers - perverted male teachers who apparently can’t do anything if one of his students is an attractive girl who doesn’t cover up her shoulders. Bunch of pedos.
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She doesn’t want to be assaulted for it, that’s for sure
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I see the lesson of non-consensual touching didn't stick for you.
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Not everything a person does is done for a third person or validation by the opposite sex. Maybe it's warm, maybe they like the style, maybe they want to match their female peers, maybe it doesn't matter.
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It's been reported that even women in Iraq have experienced harassment while being covered from head to toe. With that in mind, when will people understand that the real issue is never the dress/clothes?
some men can't control them selves and are not man enough to admit it even to their self , so they blame the women to feel better about their sorry ass
Load More Replies... As a guy from a recent BP article said, "If girls who like girls can control themselves, I don't think the problem is what they're wearing."
Yeah, lesbian here. It's honestly not that hard. I don't even notice when girls stomachs or shoulders are showing unless we're in a room alone, which is a whole different story. If it's a classroom full of people and like two girls have their shoulders exposed, honestly it's not a big deal.
Load More Replies... The people who buy into the dress codes think men are too stupid and weak minded to control themselves. They're also the ones that blame victims for rape.
Load More Replies... As someone who was constantly sent to the office for dress code I will say its not the teenage boys who are the issue. Its grown ass middle age men who cant fathom being in a building with a woman he cant have sex with. Because the women are children.
You do realize that the teachers are required to enforce the dress code, right? Female teachers send students to the office for dress code violations as well.
Load More Replies... Unpopular opinion. As a teacher myself, I have always been in favor of a school dress code. After teaching overseas and in the United States, I can say that a lot of this stems from US cultural differences. To some it somehow equates to trampling on their individuality. School uniforms help create a sense of professionalism and studies have shown it reduces incidents of bullying. It also establishes a sense of cohesion and helps those students who do come from a lower socio-economic class to not feel pressure on what to wear.
That's a uniform, not a dress code. And when applied evenly to everyone it's not a problem. The problem is that girls are policed where boys are not. In most cases when boys break dress code it has to be a case of violence or literally not wearing a shirt or something like that. Whereas if a girl's bra strap happens to slip down her shoulder she gets sent to the office for being a distraction and being too sexual. It is not evenly applied, it targets girls.
Load More Replies... I totally support this! I get really pissed off about the idea that a girls shoulders have to be covered in school because it's a "distraction". 100 years ago a woman's ankles were also a distraction. How about we move forwards and not backwards. I hate double standards and sexism and that's all these dress codes are!
Why do you think it is a double standard? How many boys do you know that were allowed to show their shoulders in school?
Load More Replies... And that means getting rid of sexist dress codes and letting kids wear their own clothing. Because these girls are fighting AGAINST being objectified.
Load More Replies... Dress codes should be the same for everyone at a school, and the school should absolutely have one. It would be ironic to pretend to have any wisdom on focus in a comment on BP, so all I will say is focus is hard. At school I found girls distracting no matter what they wore, but I also found boys, sounds, smells, the view outside, my own daydreams and countless other things distracting, and so it goes.
The principal of the school already said that the dress code is the same for both boys and girls.
Load More Replies... You know, boys (and men) in other countries can control themselves. There is something wrong with US upbringing and education of boys in general in my opinion.
And specifically the girls who CHOSE to dress this way act different then when they are dressed more conservatively. Dress code helps conduct enforcement BOTH ways. These girls did not dress this way because it was going to be 110 ferinhight that day. They dressed that way to get attention. How else would you explain the long sleeves combined with the mid-drift?
Load More Replies... Unpopular opinion, feel free to attack me (you always do): dress code is to show respect to school not something that shouldn't attract attention of boys. It's like you need to dress properly when you go to court, or when you are a teacher or medical doctor or whatever, it's not about sexuality (which is disturbing anyway as we are talking about children here) it's about respect. No one says you have to cover head to toe, just dress respectfully for school it's not such big deal. Boys also have to dress respectfully for school, it's not allowed for them to appear in shorts or bermuda pants or in some beach tops. This is just pure nonsense, seeking attention. Feel free to dress however you want when you go out, of course, be careful, because the world is still dangerous place no matter what you think, but for some occasions, it's just the good manners to dress in more elegant and respectful ways. And why so many children are so eager to grow up so soon? Be a child, it's once in life!
the issue is dress code isnt enforced for guys. they're just asking for some freaking equality. when i was small we had a water day at school. the boys could wear swim trunks and no top, but the girls had to wear knee length shorts and long sleeves. because according to the school, while the boys going shirtless was fine, the female body was not.
Load More Replies... Teaching guys not to be distracted is a big job... I can tell you that as a teenage boy, girls are very distracting. But it is a job worth taking on, because that's an important skill for the boy to have for the rest of his life. I think it is a bit unfair people who attack the staff by saying "men who are distracted by children's bodies shouldn't be teaching children"... because these are teenagers, not children. As a society we have decided that teenagers are "off limits" for older men (and that is 100% a good decision), but for a few hundred thousand years that wasn't the case, and a man's brain by default is wired to be attracted to young women. Which goes back to "teaching boys to not be distracted". If you teach a guy early how to override their instinctual urges with rational and ethical thoughts, it will come in handy for the rest of their life. (for reasons beyond just this)
I support these girls making a statement that they are not sexual objects. If someone can go to school in pajamas... what's wrong with a crop top? I believe that there needs to be a line drawn somewhere though, like you can't go to school in your underwear.
And that line needs to be evenly applied. Plenty of guys in my high school wore tank tops but because they were sports jerseys no one cared. Girl wore a tank top and suddenly her sexy shoulders were just too much and she had to cover up
Load More Replies... The principal of the school said the dress code is gender neutral.
Load More Replies... School is about education but also about how to have appropriate work behaviors. That is why i am for uniforms because very few places you work dooesn't require you to adhere to a dress code.
Most work places don't require a uniform. You just have certain dress requirements, but you are able to choose within them. Even places that require suits still allow different color ties, for example.
Load More Replies... The only 'distraction' I see here are those pants, because they're f*****g awesome.
where is the end point of the dress code revisions? should children be allowed to arrive literally naked to school? It sounds absurd, but the same argument can be used for nudity as for midriff-bearing attire. Are we going to have walkouts for full nudity in 10 years? Where is the limit of acceptability in student's clothes?
Truth Monster, I agree with you. While I absolutely agree that girls shouldn't be asked to "cover up because they're a distraction" I don't think that going to school in what basically is your underwear is acceptable. And I mean this for girls, boys, teachers. I mean, try going to work in your swimsuit and claiming it's freedom of expression...
Load More Replies... Back in the late '80s, my school had a more rigid dress code for boys than girls: skirts were OK, but shorts were forbidden. Straps were OK for girls, but not guys. Bellybuttons peeped out from girls' shirts, but short shirts were forbidden for boys. Certainly no-one ever suggested the dress code was to prevent TEACHERS from being distracted by students. I'm not impressed that kids want to dress sexier or cooler. At our school, the boys protested in hot weather by wearing skirts. In the 1980s.
I agree, but also teach your daughters to value themselves and not dress skimpy in public. I see girls dress in things that should only be for the bedroom out in public. I would never allow my daughter to dress like that
I volunteer w a child advocacy group. I got involved w it bc my daughter was dress coded bc she grew breasts. I had so many complaints from other kids about how they were being treated that I called a meeting w the board and had a child advocate come in to help me. It's appalling the way young girls are held responsible for boys and men's feelings and actions. It's very sad the stories I hear and I struggle w being able to handle it.
I think the point is that boys are held to the same standards or stricter standards.
Load More Replies... Some men: "Women can't control their emotions." Same men: "Your bra strap is distracting me!"
I am so with this. If boys and God forbid teachers get distracted by girls showing skin then it's not the girl's problem
The standards for boys are as strict or stricter at most schools.
Load More Replies... Uniforms suck. No one wants to dress the same as everyone else. Let students choose their own t-shirts. No one wants to have to change clothes every time they come home from school.
Load More Replies... I'm not American so from what I see on the internet the dress codes you guys have are mostly stupid. Obviously, teaching not to stare is essential, and any teacher or student involved in non-consensual acts is a criminal. But schools are not fashion shows, I wouldn't dress to impess or compete or anything like that. I'm not sure how much this applies to some of these cases but if we don't feel okay with ourselves no matter what we wear then there are more problem that we should solve. Just like there are people who dress in a way they feel comfortable, there are people who dress in a way so that they can feel better about themselves. Kids and teenagers shouldn't "show skin" or "dress in a way" just because people or other teens would judge them otherwise. Let people dress how they like, but some clothes shouldn't be marketed to children, don't sexualize kids with clothes that are like swimsuits.
First of all, none of these clothes are like swimsuits. Secondly it's not about a fashion show it's about being comfortable and expressing yourself how you like. Clothing is one of the few things teenagers have control over I'm one of the few ways they're able to express themselves freely. Lastly, clothes don't sexualize kids. People looking at them and deciding to see things as sexual is what sexualizes them. If you looking at a girl with her shoulder showing or her belly showing makes you think sexual thoughts that is your problem and not hers
Load More Replies... Well this is just ridiculous, it is a school, it should have a dress code it should outline what boys and girls can and can't wear, crop tops, short shorts, foul language, racist, and offensive clothing should all be part of a dress code, obviously these kids are missing the point of the dress code, as one pointed out in a professional atmosphere these outfits would not be acceptable, and thus shouldnt be accepted in a "learning" environment
Girls wear tight tops and short shorts to get attention !! I have a daughter and I know all about it and I advise her on what looks appropriate ! And wearing short shorts and tight cleavage showing tops to school is not appropriate at all ! The school should have uniform that is all the same for boys and girls that is it so all can look the same and stop this generation of entitlement
Back in the day we had coed swimming for PE classes. How did the world not explode? We were all in swimsuits!!
Don't get me wrong but most of (even adult) men can NOT concentrate when a sexy lady is somewhere around. That's a fact. But NOT a reason for women to cover up. 👍🏻 for the brave students!
I love this! I agree with everything they're saying and the entire movement. Our stomachs and shoulders are not "distracting" the boys! And if they are distracting someone, they should not be allowed around us at school! TEACH BOY TO STOP RAPING US, NOT US TO HIDE OUR BODIES SO THEY STOP!!!!!!!
They are lucky to be able to wear their own clothes and not some frumpy uniform.
just this morning I was wearing a long sleeve top that was little short(just over my waist of my pants, no stomach was even exposed) and it was slightly sheer and so aparantely it was innapropriate cause it showed my chest? anyway she called me "descarada" (shameless in spanish) and said if i got called out don't even tell her because apparantely it would be my fault. seriously??? even if i was wearing a low cut crop top and shorts, that doesn't give anyone the right to say stuff about my body. I can wear what I want without anyone saying creepy ass stuff about me. this s**t is f****d up. note:I'm legit in middle school. a MIDDLE SCHOOLER should have to worry about creeps saying stuff about her body and therefore not wear what she feels good in? This s**t is crazy..
I got banned from FB for commenting that someone claiming women ought to cover up more to avoid getting raped was a garbage human. Apparently saying that was worse than thinking women who get raped are responsible for it.
This is so useless "movement"... If you can entertain yourself with such a crap, you have very happy and good life.
i grew up in the 80's..when I was in high school, my girlfriends & I wore baggy JNCO jeans & crop tops all day long. it was never ever an issue. Why is it an issue now? Society has changed...and unfortunately not for the better.
Boys always "focus." On the girls. Telling boys to focus around girls is like telling a fish to live out of water.
It has always annoyed me that in the hot weather, men can ride a bike, run, mow their lawn etc. with just shorts on and the breeze on their torsos, while women have to wear artificial fiber, elastic bra material squeezed tightly around their chest covered by yet another layer of fabric.
Yup. It's all about boys being taught that self control is expected of them.
I think dress codes should exist, but not concerning girls covering up to prevent "distractions". Tank tops and shorts when it's hot makes sense, but bare midriffs are inappropriate in MOST places. And 15 y/o Susie doesn't need her tits hanging out ANYWHERE.
So many women/feminist think so many men can't control themselves around bare bodies and call them perverted or other names. So why wear provocative clothing and purposely run the risk of exciting some pervert? I could think of a few choice names for them....
High school in the 60s: You will be made to kneel on the floor to check that your skirt is below your knees. Tops neither too low nor too high. Guys have to wear shirts tucked in and belts on pants. No colored T-shirts. College early 70s: Long dress code similar to high school. First class, there is a girl in a bikini with a lacy top, a guy wearing swim trunks with an open shirt. Okay... my trunk of clothes is totally inappropriate. Shorten all my skirts and bring jeans and shorts from home.
Schools really need to wise up. Why is dress code that would be unacceptable for adults and would cause a strike or walkout, being imposed on the kids? They have right to be treated fairly as well, without overbearing dress codes. Never mind the schools having zero-tolerance for this and that, yet, when the kids do ask for help, they are seen as "troublemakers" and should put up with it, where if it was an adult, police would be called instantly for the mobbing or assaults with charges pressed. If you really want to change this nonsense, it's time to get tough on unacceptable behavior, both from the school and from any abusers.
I have mixed feelings on this. On the one hand, I think the teenage boys would appreciate having female classmates that don't have to cover up. Hopefully they can focus on school work while still having attractively dressed girls in class. On the other hand, why do these girls think that the boys have it any better when it comes to the dress code? If anything, I think most school administrations would come down harder on the boys because there aren't as many "socially acceptable" ways for boys to dress.
The actual problem here is that women are shown that their bodies are only sexual. That we can't just be and have a body without it being sexual. Men are allowed to do that, women are not. The female body represents sex. The male body represents humanity. It's dumb. Any part of our body is sexual because it's female. It doesn't matter if it's ankles, shoulders, boobs, or knees. It doesn't matter what part it is, just that it's female and that means sex. However, the female body is first and foremost a functional tool females use to exist in the world, without it, we don't exist. Stop making the existence of a female body somehow an implication of sex, sexuality, or sexual desire. I'm sick of it. Just let me be.
The dress codes for boys in schools are as strict or stricter than for the girls.
Load More Replies... This one seems more than sexist on the surface. It is sexist though and though. Why do the girls want to show their mid drift. It is because sexist others promote it for girls and not for boys. Why do girls have a desire to wear short skirts? It is because sexist. Why don't boys wear short skirts to school? it is because sexist. Why do girls wear bras? Sexist. Why is it okay for boys to play "Shirts and skins"? Because sexist. If the school is not sexist, then it would require the same dress code across the genders. If it is okay for Boys to play "Shirts and Skins" then it should be okay for Girls to play "Shirts and Skins" Or the whole system is sexist. Solution. One dress code for all! One code of conduct for all! One set of rules for All! There should never be something that is or is not okay because gender. Okay to hit a boy? Sexist. Not okay to hit a girl? Sexist. Not okay to hit no matter the gender? Much better.
The school already has a dress code that is the same for both genders.
Load More Replies... Back when I was in the last year of school, I was faced with a new head master, who rightfully so was nicknamed Mr Tool, I stood up against his strict rules. Coats were outside only - not in corridors. No trainers on breaks. No eating food outside the cafeteria, ect. (Is a uniform school) I won with; unrealistic expectations, and causing students to jam the doorways when it rains. Trainers were sports and hygiene reasons and eating where ever you want was won due to eating disorders, bullying and anxieties, after drilling in their head for weeks about mental health (Still wasn't huge awareness in 2006) I got suspended for a week because I created a group in which people were able to voice their opinions about the 30+ strict rule changes dropped on us at the start of the year, which wasn't accessible from the school. Two females got suspended for 2 days after hearing of my suspension; walked into the heads office and called him twat. lol
I'd do the same thing every time over and have quite a lot of respect for students standing up for themselves.
Load More Replies... This generation of kids is so unbelievably overflowing with self-entitlement and completely convinced they're the victims of everyone around them. Climb down off the cross and go try to learn something. Nobody's looking at you anyway.
if nobody's looking why cant they wear it and why are they getting dress coded for it?
Load More Replies... Agree with the concept, albeit you can't have everything every way. Dress codes are put in place and you need to abide by them. When they get older they will have to abide by them at work, so better get used to it. Also, tell me no one hasn't noticed that 90% of the people in this protest are all attention seekers anyways.
Some of these girls blame the boys for misogyny, saying that they should be taught to focus. There's no way in hell you can stop a horny teenage boy from gawking at girls. The real misogynists are then men who put the dress codes in place. And, if those men are distracted by these young girls, they shouldn't be allowed within 5 miles of a school.
What is so wrong or hard about being decently covered at school? If you wish to walk around half naked then go to the beach or something.
its about equality because boys can wear it and girls cant
Load More Replies... As a white male boomer, what distresses me most about this post is the punctuation: not only a comma where there should be a full stop, but a space before rather than after the offending comma! Horrors! Who cares if they want to sun their belly buttons? Concentrate on the essentials, like punctuation and clear thinking and writing.
Yugan, because they want to sun their belly buttons, is the reason that they don't concentrate on essentials.
Load More Replies... Good for them, I hope they keep protesting until the school changes the dress code. From what has already been shared, looks like they have a good chance, and they seem very determined.
The school has the same dress code for the boys already.
Load More Replies... Your at school not a party ! Dress appropriately like you are in a professional place seriously
What is a skinny pass? My favourite quote is about not being suitable to work with children. Too right!
This awesome! Young women are getting stronger every generation!! I think people often forget that bad people exist and it’s no ones fault. Some people truly enjoy rape, inflicting pain and just general chaos and it’s never the victims fault.
Tara, strong women do not dress like prostitutes. They do not need to.
Load More Replies... For me is just about what you learn at home. I have eyes, and if I see something that I like, I look. No one notices. So no one feels bothered. I look, I don't stare. I look, I don't harass, i don't say anything to them, I don't criticize, I don't ... like I said, it's what you learn at home. You have to respect women. They are not toys. They are not your property. They most likely don't want anything with you. Leave them the f*^k alone please. Thanks. Peace.
I love that you young people took the school to task over them dictating what young ladies wear. Young women have beautiful bodies!!! You should be able to wear what you want but not to the point of looking like a hooker. If young men can't control their urges maybe you need to seek professional help. Serial killers have deviant thoughts and they all started out young. worked at FedEx
Tiktok activists just for a day. It will be great if they keep the activism, everyday.
Girls are the problem in the first place. They intentionally dress provocatively to get boys attention. And when they get it but because schools give them dress codes or they get raped then they cry about. You can't have your cake and eat it too. So quit being a s**t and grow up
When I went to school we had uniforms and girls had to wear shirt and trousers or a sensible skirt and I was always getting turned on by seeing the tops of their knickers, bra through shirt etc etc It's a nice idea to train teenage boys not to be turned on by girls but it's never going to happen lol
There is 'should' but teenage boys get turned on by anything. When I went to school girls had to wear shirt and trousers or sensible skirt and I would get turned on by seeing the top of knickers, bras through shirt etc
Also girls: "It's my choice to wear hijab because if my body makes a man aroused, I will go to hell. I choose to go to heaven."
That has to do with religion, and quite frankly that women has every right to want to cover up. Not all women are the same. I would never wear a crop top but I still support these girls.
Load More Replies... I sincerely hope these kids never lose their fight. This generation gives me hope.
What these particular girls are fighting for, Amanda, is to be allowed What are these particular girls fighting for, Amanda? It sure is not respect.
Load More Replies... I am so proud of these kids. They can wear whatever they want, let them go nude if they wish. Those prudish rules are ridiculous and do not belong in our time. They will always be kids, if you're attracted to them, it's on you, not their clothes!
Konpat, and what these kids will be when they "grow' up?
Load More Replies... And just wait till they join the Adult World and realize that companies have dress codes, ones these entitled little snots will either follow or get terminated. The companies won't care in the least for the opinions of these snowflakes. The world is full of rules. Just because you don't like them doesn't mean you don't have to follow them. Now, sure, good ahead and downvote, but, realize that there is a real world out there.
Dresscodes become more and more obsolete. If you don't have client contact no friend of mine has a company dresscode. I even go barefood every summer. And: you chose your work, you don't chose your school in most cases.
Load More Replies... This feel like less an issue of being told to "cover up" and more an issue of not being able to "express" their individuality. I attended public school in the 90s and we had all the same kinds of kids in my school. We occasionally butted heads with school administration over rules, including dress codes. When we did disagree, we sat down with the administration, had a discussion and either found common ground or didn't. We never had this circus we see playing out online. The one thing we didn't have was Social Media!!! I think Social Media is making it impossible for groups to come together and have a real discussion. Instead Social Media helps create camps from which groups lobs word bombs at each other and never actually TALK!!!!
"We eventually sat down and had an actual conversation with the school..."
Load More Replies... Yeah, but they threaten to fire you if you come to work dressed like Iron Man
Load More Replies... so what should young boys be taught according to you? 1) you can learn them to not act inappropriate. So don't touch or talk innapropriate to girls 2) you can't tell them to not be distracted by just telling them to not be distracted. That takes time and some maturing. 3) not to watch : i don't think watching around in public should be forbidden. If you wear something in public, you are allowing people to look at you. You can learn them good manners to not stare at best.
They should be taught that girls are humans that have rights and the fact that she’s dressed scantily is NOT an invitation to harass her or assault her. Heck, she could be naked and you STILL don’t have a right to assault her. The fact that boys would be distracted by girls’ midriffs/shoulders/legs is something that most certainly can be taught against, BEFORE they are grown. The issue is also with male teachers - perverted male teachers who apparently can’t do anything if one of his students is an attractive girl who doesn’t cover up her shoulders. Bunch of pedos.
Load More Replies... She doesn’t want to be assaulted for it, that’s for sure
Load More Replies... I see the lesson of non-consensual touching didn't stick for you.
Load More Replies... Not everything a person does is done for a third person or validation by the opposite sex. Maybe it's warm, maybe they like the style, maybe they want to match their female peers, maybe it doesn't matter.
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