There has been a lot of buzz about school dress codes recently, particularily about how these codes prohibit women from showing their midrift. And this article on Vox.com also talks about it. I'm not here to be swayed on whether dress codes are right, only that they unfairly target women. Nor am I arguing that enforcement of dress code is sexist, there probably are places who would write up a woman for wearing revealing clothing, where they might not write a man for something similar. There is claim that schools justify the dress code because otherwise students of the opposite gender would be distracted. This was addressed in the video, and for the most part I agree with the presenter's argument, that in school everybody is distracted, so it doesn't matter, furthermore self control should be the standard which is expected. There are arguments besides this one which I would like to explore. In my view school is a semi professional environment, and there should be standards of dress to help cultivate the semi professional athmosphere. This semi professional standard is agreed upon by societal norms, and more specifically by the School Board. The minimum standard for men is generally pants or shorts which fall to the near, or near enough to it, and shirts which fully cover the torso, and come over the shoulder. The clothing should have no references to violence, sex, or drugs. The standard is more or less the same for women. Where the difference comes is what clothes are acceptable in public differs more wildly for men than it does for women, but this comes from a more varied wardrobe for women. But it isn't sexist to say what is worn in school must come from a specific pool of clothes
Dress codes aren't sexist