Misogynistic - School uniform

[LadyGAgain]

Right. This is a weird one so pls hear me out.
School has a very strict uniform policy. This isn't the AIBU.
Boys can wear trousers or shorts throughout the year with a shirt and tie plus pullover.
Girls can wear the same as above (including skirt) but are allowed to wear a gingham dress only in the summer term.

So boys can wear any of their uniform options throughout the year but girls are only allowed to wear part of their uniform when they are told it's ok.

None of my issue is about uniform. It's about boys being able to do anything throughout the year and girls being told they can't until the school say they can. So the subliminal messaging is happening without people realising it.
Girls conform. Boys can just be.

The girls won't recognise this right now but it's there. Subliminally there.

AIBU?

Theres a reason they do this.

Plenty of parents arent good at saying no.
Vulnerable children with struggling parents may be left to dress themselves with no parental input.
Lots of little girls will try to wear the pretty gingham dress year round, when in reality it's too cold in december for thin gingham.

The only "fair" option is to either remove the gingham option entirely (shame) or allow the boys to wear it if they wish (most schools in reality do but the boys do not choose to take it up).

This isn't the hill to die on OP.

Also lots of girls wear gingham playsuit type things now, those are great. And plenty of girls just choose to wear shorts.

By the time all three of my DDs had left school I was so utterly fed up and exhausted by silly rules and ridiculous levels of enforcement that I favoured just ditching it altogether. I still favour ditching it. Amen to that, the excessive policing of uniforms is ridiculous - don't the teachers feel a bit daft after all their education and training obsessing over stupid crap like girls wearing black tights rather than navy. Black shoes looking just a little bit too like a trainer - despite it not even being a sports brand or anything close to looking cool. I am so glad I no longer have to deal with this shit - think I was more relieved than the kids when they left.

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland

Theres a reason they do this.

Plenty of parents arent good at saying no.
Vulnerable children with struggling parents may be left to dress themselves with no parental input.
Lots of little girls will try to wear the pretty gingham dress year round, when in reality it's too cold in december for thin gingham.

The only "fair" option is to either remove the gingham option entirely (shame) or allow the boys to wear it if they wish (most schools in reality do but the boys do not choose to take it up).

This isn't the hill to die on OP.

Should we stop these feckless parents dressing their kids at the weekends too?

So to clarify, girls can wear trousers, short or skirts all year but also have the option of gingham dresses in summer? If so I don't think it's an issue

This ^ ffs what a non issue

Naptimenow

I dont really get your point. Sadly vulnerable children with parents struggling are often dressed inappropriately on weekends, yes. Lacking coats, wearing things not suited to the weather. Or they will wear their uniform as mum or dad havent provided anything else.

School is often a haven for children where home isnt great.

Such poor comprehension skills on this thread. It is stupid to have different uniform rules for different children but it isn't misogyny in this case.

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland

Naptimenow

I dont really get your point. Sadly vulnerable children with parents struggling are often dressed inappropriately on weekends, yes. Lacking coats, wearing things not suited to the weather. Or they will wear their uniform as mum or dad havent provided anything else.

School is often a haven for children where home isnt great.

My kids have never found school a haven - exact opposite really. Uniform need to be the same for boys and girls - be cheap and comfortable - it's time for a change.

Don't make an issue out of a non-issue. Schools have had these uniform requirements for decades. There's nothing wrong with girls being offered the option of a lighter uniform when it's hot. Presumably they can wear pinafore dresses during winter, therefore they're being made to wear an extra layer during summer if they don't have the gingham option and want to wear a dress. Boys don't have that, they can just wear a shirt.

I don’t think it’s misogynistic. Schools often have dates for Summer uniform. It just so happens that only the girls have the option of a Summer uniform at your school. That is, the restriction is because it’s a Summer item, not because those wearing it are girls.

Wow, the MRA's are being active on this thread.

I agree with you OP. It's ridiculous to hold girls to a different standard regarding school uniforms. I would so hate this. Glad my school never had uniforms, because I hate skirts and dresses.

What on earth are you talking about, calling people MRAs for simply responding to OP that girls actually have more choice than boys overall? Is OP automatically a WRA for asking the question in the first place?

As I'm sure you've seen in reading this thread, girls (and boys) at OP's schools do have a uniform, but none of the girls are ever being forced to wear skirts or dresses if they don't want to. They can simply wear trousers or shorts all year around and leave the other options to the girls who do want them - options that are not available to the boys.

There's nothing wrong with girls being offered the option of a lighter uniform when it's hot.

That is exactly what is wrong. Boys aren’t being offered that same option. The uniform policy is biased in favour of the girls.

it's protecting the girls whose parents will send them in a cotton dress in the mid of winter. Those getting funny saying that parents are sensible enough to make the decision, you maybe but plenty of parents for whatever reason are unable to make sensible decisions

Where do you live where you see little girls out and about in summer dresses on winter weekends?

The insistence that summer dresses are only worn in the summer term is rooted in ensuring that all children have adequately warm uniforms for colder weather.

But it doesn't even cover colder weather; it can be bloody freezing in April. Though I assume most non-neglectful parents don't send their girls in dresses in cold April days even though it is allowed. However, I believe what OP is getting at is that it is not allowed on hot September days. A good compromise would be to allow dresses till the October half term which OP should take up with the school (with no mention of misogyny).

Plenty of parents arent good at saying no. Vulnerable children with struggling parents may be left to dress themselves with no parental input. Lots of little girls will try to wear the pretty gingham dress year round, when in reality it's too cold in december for thin gingham.

Oddly enough, you see more girls in dresses in the more up-market schools in my town. Girls in the poorer areas who are more likely to be vulnerable (sweeping generalisation) seem to wear the winter uniform all year round.

As an aside, as dresses go, I don't think gingham school dresses are particularly pretty.!

I understand what you are saying op.
It’s not really got anything to do with it being a dress or girls having more options than boys.
It’s that girls are being told what they can and can’t wear.

@EastWestWhosBest

I understand what you are saying op. It’s not really got anything to do with it being a dress or girls having more options than boys. It’s that girls are being told what they can and can’t wear.

So are boys. Boys can't wear a summer dress in the summer term. Boys also can't wear clothes other than school uniform.

@EastWestWhosBest

I understand what you are saying op. It’s not really got anything to do with it being a dress or girls having more options than boys. It’s that girls are being told what they can and can’t wear.

Boys are told what they can and can’t wear too. That’s what a school uniform means.

So girls can swap to wearing boys summer dress in winter as they are allowed to.

Girls have more choices ergo not misogyny.