Opinion – Dress code is not sexist, it is feminist
More stories from Kate L. Keeler
Columnist Kate L. Keeler shares a fairly unpopular view; that dress code is first of all not sexist, and furthermore feminist. ¨Dress code restores dignity to the girl,” Keeler said. ¨It ensures that she can show the world, er, at least her school, who she really is; an intelligent, beautiful human being.´
Many words are used to describe school dress code, but perhaps the most prevailing and pungent of all is ‘sexist.’ I used to emphatically believe that dress code was such, until I realized a rather curious thing. What is feminist cannot be sexist.
I know what you are thinking.
But dress code is not feminist, because it objectifies girls!
Yes, dress code objectifies girls. But this is not out of malice. It is to balance the scales. Have you ever been to a popular clothing store with distinct guys and girls sections? If so, you may have noticed that the girls section is more immodest than the guys section.
So what is the problem with this? The problem is that the fashion industry has sexualized the female body more so than males. This is both an inequality and an injustice. An inequality because the sexes are not being treated equally, and an injustice because we girls do not deserve to be sexualized.
Want proof of what the fashion industry has done? Of the degrading, anti-woman sex culture that they have cultivated? Take a look at fashion advertisements. Most of them, particularly the ones that feature women, are the near equivalent of pornography.
Why do we call it sexist when girls are prevented from dressing in a way that dehumanizes them?
— Kate L. Keeler
Beyoncé was not wrong when she said that girls run the world. So, why does the dignity of the female sex being degraded down to appearance not arouse anger? Why do we not want to hold girls to a higher esteem? Why do we call it sexist when girls are prevented from dressing in a way that dehumanizes them?
Dress code restores dignity to the girl. It ensures that she can show the world, er, at least her school, who she really is; an intelligent, beautiful human being.
In light of the dress code controversy, recognize that of all the things dress code may be, it is most certainly not sexist. In spite of a highly pervasive sex culture, dress code is helping create the next generation of fearless females. That is feminist, and that is what matters. Even if it means objectification.
This column has been updated for tone and clarity.
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Priya • Jun 8, 2022 at 11:44 pm
I agree with this view somewhat. Because women’s clothing is indeed sexualixed. Just take prom dresses for example. The boys wear suits that cover every inch of their bodies while women’s dresses barely cover their backs or legs. Why is there a need for women to show so much skin in order to feel pretty? Why don’t men stay half naked to feel handsome? It’s all cultural. Women grow up thinking wearing skimpy dresses or high heels means beautiful. But that’s not true. It just objectifies them.
Ramona Garcia • Aug 16, 2021 at 9:26 pm
While I respect your point of view, I have to disagree with it. I believe that dress codes enforce the standard that young girls’ bodies are causing negativity. It is a form of victim-blaming. It teaches young girls and teenagers that the male response is their fault. Those clothes shouldn’t be worn because it might be distracting to your male classmate. All the time, people make assumptions about people based on how they look or what they wear. If wearing a crop top or a spaghetti strap tank top is what makes a girl feel happy and pretty, then she shouldn’t be told that she isn’t allowed to wear it, for fear of distracting her classmates. Instead, it should be taught from a young age not to assume things about people based on what they wear or how they look.
Alyssa Clark • Aug 17, 2021 at 10:23 am
Hi Ramona,
I’m Alyssa Clark, and I’m the editor of the opinion page this year. Thank you for your comment on this opinion piece! I feel your opinion reflects the recent changes to the dress code since this story was written with the old dress code enforced before the 2021 school year. Thank you for reading and commenting again!
Kate Keeler • Jul 28, 2022 at 9:26 pm
Hi Ramona, this is the writer, Kate Keeler. I no longer work for the school newspaper (I have since graduated). But I just wanted to say that I really appreciate your comment and that I do agree with you. I stand by my original opinion that dress code (when instituted properly) can help girls show their true colors versus being hypersexualized. However, looking back, I could have added a very important paragraph about how, as you said it so perfectly, the male response is not our fault. That is indeed victim blaming and I should have covered that in the article. I believe that we can have a healthy, reasonable dress code that protects girls from both over-sexualization AND victim blaming. Again, thank you for your input.