Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

Why is this a protest?

162 replies

Elendon · 22/06/2017 19:52

I understand that it's hot weather and the male students want to make a point but to do it with white shirts and ties and black shoes and socks? It's like wearing female clothing is abhorrent to them.

OP posts:
OP posts:
ScarlettFreestone · 22/06/2017 19:56

You are talking about the boys wearing school skirts because they weren't allowed shorts?

It seems perfectly sensible to me. They've kept their usual uniform shirts, shoes etc and simply switched their trousers to skirts to make the point that the no shorts rule is ridiculous.

They aren't trying to dress as girls. They are switching to a cooler item of clothing under their dress code.

Shylo · 22/06/2017 19:57

It looks to me like they are wearing their usual uniform but swapping the banned shorts for allowed skirts, highlighting the ridiculousness of the rules .......

ScarlettFreestone · 22/06/2017 19:57

Besides I imagine the girls wear black shoes and socks and ties too.

My school uniform certainly included a tie and a skirt.

Original poster
Elendon · 22/06/2017 19:59

But why not just go into school in shorts to protest?

OP posts:
ScarlettFreestone · 22/06/2017 20:01

Because they were specifically denied permission.

Shorts are not in the dress code.
Skirts are.

Their protest has actually been pretty effective, the HT has said she will consider a change to the uniform code.

honeysucklejasmine · 22/06/2017 20:02

Elendon because they'd likely be sent home for breaching uniform rules. The skirt is uniform, and it's discrimination to say only girls can wear it. Therefore, skirts not shorts.

StAlphonzospancakebreakfast · 22/06/2017 20:02

Because they weren't allowed to wear shorts, but when they complained the head said well you can always wear a skirt (which is part of the uniform). So they are making a point.
I have been wondering about this a bit myself though and the feminist point of view on it. I feel like there is something slightly off about it but can't quite work out what!

ScarlettFreestone · 22/06/2017 20:03

They weren't breaking any rules with their skirts, they would have been with the shorts.

Their protest was effective in embarrassing the school but didn't open them to any punishment.

I think it's pretty impressive tbh.

Original poster
Elendon · 22/06/2017 20:09

No it's not impressive. And by the way those skirts were way too short anyway.

Much more impressive was to go to the school and be in shorts! Get the punishment and get the praise for raising awareness. Besides it seems to be a yearly thing. Boys wear skirts too short and are praised for it.

OP posts:
scallopsrgreat · 22/06/2017 20:12

I wonder why they don't wear skirts anytime during the other 360 days of the year?

QueenOfTheSardines · 22/06/2017 20:12

They should just have a uniform list and children can wear anything from it. Skirt / trousers / shorts.

It would get rid of a whole host of problems. I bet some of the girls would prefer shorts to skirts as well.

FlyingDuck · 22/06/2017 20:15

The reason they are wearing skirts and not shorts, is that the head teacher said (when they objected to hot trousers), something like, "why don't you come in skirts then?" So they took her at her word.

ScarlettFreestone · 22/06/2017 20:16

The uniform code includes skirts. The school can't discriminate by sex therefore there is no reason for the boys not to wear them.

However, it very effectively embarrasses the school and highlights the fact that the uniform code isn't broad enough.

Presumably if they add shorts to the dress code, some girls will choose to wear shorts.

Wearing shorts would not have embarrassed the school, would not have made the news, would not have effected any change.

They made an effective protest without breaking any rules.

I haven't seen any skirts that looked particularly short to be honest, but if they are too short I'd imagine it's because they've borrowed a motley collection of skirts from sisters and friends and they don't quite fit.

ScarlettFreestone · 22/06/2017 20:17

scallop because the entire point is that they want a cooler alternative to their trousers in hot weather.

Original poster
Elendon · 22/06/2017 20:24

If they want an alternative to hot weather then wear the shorts and accept the fine. That way they are helping young women to wear shorts too.

Though I dare say that young teenage girls wearing shorts with black socks and shoes would be an outrage.

OP posts:
Original poster
Elendon · 22/06/2017 20:25

Oh and this kind of protest is not new. It's being going on for years. Seems like the heads of the school like the publicity.

OP posts:
scallopsrgreat · 22/06/2017 20:25

But why for the rest of the year is it only girls who wear the skirts? Surely there are some reasons other than hot weather to wear skirts? Otherwise girls wouldn't wear them either.

TheLuminaries · 22/06/2017 20:28

It is a clever protest because is subverts the rules and thus shows up how sill and arbitrary the rules are. Boys in shorts would just have got a punishment and not made the same point about arbitrary nature of the dress code, good for them I say. I think men look good in skirts and in many cultures it is quite usual for men to wear them.

InLovewithaGermanFilmStar · 22/06/2017 20:30

I think it's a really clever protest. They're still wearing school uniform! One up to a silly uniform rule.

scallopsrgreat · 22/06/2017 20:31

I don't think it's clever at all. They're happy with the dress code for the majority of the year clearly. When they don't get their own way, then the clothes which are predominantly worn by the girls are good enough. And they get a round of applause and cookies Hmm.

ScarlettFreestone · 22/06/2017 20:35

I'm not sure why you think skirts or shorts with black socks and shoes is an outrage? Genuinely - I'm confused?

I wore a school skirt with black socks and shoes for years. My DD wears grey socks and black shoes with her uniform skirt or with her uniform shorts. As do lots of the other girls. Far more practical than white.

And their protest will help girls wear shorts if they are added to the dress code.

scallops but the point of the protest isn't to say "boys should be allowed to wear skirts". The point of this particular protest is to say "boys should be allowed a cooler option in hot weather"

And yes of course they are all sorts of reasons one might choose to a wear skirt, or not. But these boys aren't challenging the entire dress code, just the lack of shorts.

Why should their specific local protest have to be about the wider subject of gendered uniform? Why can't it just be a local protest by a group of young people trying to improve their particular learning environment?

Original poster
Elendon · 22/06/2017 20:38

It's not a clever protest, it's one that has been done for the last few years.

A few days of hot weather and the teenage boys decide to go in wearing a skirt. All hail them for their cleverness and subverting the rules.

A teenage girl who wears a skirt that's deemed too short is sent home. She is not seen as clever for subverting the rules.

OP posts:
ScarlettFreestone · 22/06/2017 20:38

I'm not sure I understand your argument scallop? Are you implying that skirts are lesser in some way? That the boys protest is denigrating the girls in some way?

bigolenerdy · 22/06/2017 20:39

Elendon - Honest question, are you deliberately being obtuse, or maybe trying to make some subtle point that I'm failing to grasp?

"...If they want an alternative to hot weather then wear the shorts and accept the fine. That way they are helping young women to wear shorts too..."

Why does their objective have to include helping young women? Why are you so keen on telling them how to protest?