Stop Objectifying Female Bodies with Archaic Dress Codes!

 

                                                    We are covered up here because it is a damp autumn day in the Carolina Mountains and it is COVID. We are NOT covered-up because we think the human female form is " dirty" or " impure".  Photo by Brian. 

I read a disturbing story out of Jacksonville { Florida, once again, does not disappoint in the embarrassment contest. We take first place. }

 Apparently one high school yearbook advisor took it upon HERSELF to photoshop yearbook photos of girls whose clothing she deems " inappropriate".  

Damn women who work at eating away girls' confidence. 

For reference, here is the link to the story: 

Policing Girls' Clothing In FL

If you look at the photo of the young woman whose outfit is a representation of " inappropriate", you will see that it appears to be either a nice dress or slacks & blouse  with a cardigan. 

This is standard " business attire" in any professional setting. 

Policing women's and girls' clothing  must stop.  Such prudish dress codes do NOTHING to keep students focused on education. Rather, being called out for a clothing violation tells girls{ and women} that WE are nothing but objects -- that our sexuality and femininity does not belong to us. 

Over a quarter century ago-- I remember doing a battle of wits with my high school's vice principal. She { yes SHE} received a write up for me for the sin of wearing a " shirt skirt". Per the rules, girl's skirt length had to at least reach their fingertips. As a person with long, thin arms and legs, the only skirts that are at least " fingertip length" are below my knees.  It angered me at the time that my shorter-limbed sisters were allowed to wear skirts and shorts that would make Daisy Duke blush while I had a ling list of dress code " offenses"

Girls interviewed for the article said that the altering of their school photos embarrassed them and made them feel objectified. 

I get what they are saying. Teenaged Sarah learned a lot of poor body-image habits from all her time spent in the vice-principal's office defending her clothing choices. 

Boys and men are not subjected to such clothing scrutiny, while girls and women are held responsible for making sure that male minds are not " tempted"

As a female person--- IT IS NOT MY JOB TO MAKE SURE MENS' THOUGHTS STAY CLEAN. To think this turns me{ and every other female person} into an object to be manipulated. 

My pronouns are she/her/hers. I'm female and proud to be female. My body is female-- and it is also made in the Image of the Holy One. My legs and arms are long and lean.  I love my long-fingered, basketball-dribbling hands and sometimes I like to paint the nails in bold colors.

My body houses a soul-- a soul that should be treasured rather than belittled. 

As a female person, it is my duty to uphold  all women. We are beautiful in our diversity. 

Don't like what we wear-- kindly avert your eyes and shut up! 

Namaste...

Sarah McCarren

24 May 2021