Dress Code Discrimination

Dress codes are a common rule for many high schools, they are enforced differently at every school, but they have been commonly used to discriminate against the female body.

Many dress code rules have been tied to discrimination due to the major difference between the different regulations between men and women.

Many women have felt shame at some point in their lives because of a strict dress code forced upon them. “I was dress coded a lot in high school and I just always felt singled out and embarrassed because of the size of my breasts” Olivia Mosher spoke about her previous incidences with dress codes.

Noah Carpino a student with the male gaze said, “I never had an issue, or never knew any guy who had an issue with the way any girls dressed, no one ever really noticed anyone’s outfits.”

After years of limited wardrobe styling, students who go to university, college, workforce, and or apprentices are shocked to discover the lack of dress code in adult life.

Schools have defended themselves by stating, the dress codes are enforced to help students dress appropriately for the workforce. However, many universities and colleges do not believe that dress codes prepare you as they do not have any dress codes in place for students.

It is evident that people who identify as female are held to stricter restrictions when it comes to wardrobe. Those who were accused of insulting the dress code have gone on to report that they suffer from body dysmorphia, due to the uncertainty of the image their bodies give off to others.

“I was told I was dressing provocatively because I had a tighter shirt on, but it was just a shirt I threw on without thinking. I learnt from a young age how I view my body and how others see it are very different” Melissa Bernard spoke about her self-image issues after a dress code violation many years ago.

Dress code rules are heavily scrutinized by many women for being harmful and damaging to self-esteem as well as victimizing the female body.