So what’s all this hoopla about “slut shaming” and dress codes? What does “slut shaming” even refer to or mean? The term that you’ve probably seen thrown around here and there on the Internet is exemplified by women who are targeted by men because of the way they dress, and then feel guilty because they think it’s their fault for being singled out. Slut shaming often comes up in the same conversations as rape and sexual assault, especially when men use the excuse “she was asking for it” based off of the way a woman decided to dress that night.
Across the nation, schools are enforcing dress codes that are clearly biased against women. When school principals or superintendents are questioned, they always respond with the fact that some girls wear clothes that are simply too distracting for boys to learn in an educational environment. By telling young girls that they’re not allowed to wear tight pants or skirts for this very reason, young girls are under the impression that it’s their fault for diverting boys’ attentions in the classroom. 500 students petitioned a middle school in Evanston, Illinois with signs that read, “Are my pants lowering your test scores?” In case you haven’t figured it out yet, they’re not.
Personally, as someone who went to a Catholic school and was forced to wear a uniform every day for six years, I know all too well the thin line between enforcing a dress code and encouraging slut shaming. Heaven forbid if I were wearing a sweater that was too tight or too low cut, or if I even dared to roll my uniform skirt to make it look shorter than it actually was, I would either receive a detention or a warning glare from my teachers. The fact that girls are taught from a young age that it is their sole responsibility to dress – or not dress – a certain way is an outdated idea that is both ridiculous and sexist.
Yes, it’s true that boys and girls alike need to dress appropriately at school. Whether I want to admit it or not, school prepares all of us for how we should present ourselves in the professional world. However, that doesn’t mean that girls should be ridiculed for wearing strapless dresses to prom, or that a kindergartener should be punished for wearing a skirt that is seemingly too short. Throughout my entire life, I’ve been advised on how to cover up so I don’t appear to be “too distracting,” but never once have I noticed boys getting in trouble and being told to look elsewhere. Dress codes should be enforced to show respect in the educational environment, but shouldn’t be enforced to objectify and blame girls for being distractions.
Sources: http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/05/06/1969001/slut-shaming-dress-codes/