Why is this a protest?

[Elendon]

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.

Elendon well it depends on the school. No one at my school was ever sent home because of their skirts.

However do you think that girls who wear skirts which are shorter than the regulations are doing so as an organised protest?

Do you think that they are trying to effect change or make a political statement?

Scarlett your argument is that by wearing a skirt, shorts will be introduced and for both sexes. It's nonsense. It has all the intellectual nuance of a year 7 pupil.

A political statement?

What are you wittering on about Scarlett?

But the boys are protesting for girls to be allowed to wear shorts, they are protesting to have a sensible summer uniform alternative for themselves. I don't see why that makes you so cross?

"Are you implying that skirts are lesser in some way?" I'm not implying that, no. The fact than boys and men wouldn't be seen dead in a skirt or dress for the rest of the year implies that.

Elendon I've been polite to you, I'm unclear why you aren't extending me the same curtesy.

However, if you read the article you linked to the HT has in fact already said that in response to the protest, that they will consult on a change to the uniform code regarding shorts.

It would seem logical given that skirts for boys are allowed under the code, then if shorts are added in future they will also be allowable for girls.

Out of interest, I'm still wondering why black socks and shoes are outrageous?

scallop I would suggest that it merely implies that the boys are happy to wear the traditional school uniform while it meets their needs for comfort.

Their protest isn't about gender norms, it's about the fact that they are too hot.

In my school days, many years ago, a group of girls successfully lobbied for trousers to be permissible following a particularly cold winter. For exactly the same reasons.

I don't understand why shorts are so ground upon in the office..

For both men and women!

I worked in an office that had a very strict dress code, for both men and women, it's was routinely enforced, it was fair to both genders but incredibly rigid.

For both men and women:

No shorts at all
Only full length trousers
Shoes had to be a full shoe "smart" (not even a peep toe, smart was at the discretion of the manager, a girl got sent home for wearing 6 inch heeled court shoes, the heal was made out of some sort of clear plastic, to be fair they was horrific)
All tops had to have collars, but couldn't be polo shirts
Dresses and skirts to be worn to the knee
No body con style clothing
Shoulders must be covered at all times

Even on the monthly dress down day the no short rule, skirt length and shoulder covering was compulsory.

Drove me nuts, and I got athletes foot frequently in the summer, because I couldn't wear sling backs or peep toes bare legs wnd feet in a dress..

So you are telling me Scarlett that the reason men don't wear skirts and dresses is because all their comfort needs are met by trousers? In that case why don't women and girls wear trousers all the time and we just do away with skirts and dresses? Why when men/boys wear dresses they are ridiculed and abused and pushed into the box called trans? Why are boys being even applauded for wearing skirts?

"...The fact than boys and men wouldn't be seen dead in a skirt or dress for the rest of the year implies that..."

No it does imply that at all Scallop. You are inferring that.

That should read men are ridiculed and abused outside this obvious protest.

Correction: doesn't imply that...

Well why don't men wear skirts then?

Scarlett Do teenage boys wear skirts to school in mid winter with tights as a protest to the cold?

Have you ever Scarlett seen a sixth form young man wearing shorts to school in the hot weather? They would be ridiculed. And no way would a male teacher wear shorts either unless they were a PE instructor just out of lessons.

I've been wearing trousers to school in this hot weather and shoes that are comfort wearing (not sandals).

"...Well why don't men wear skirts then?..."

Perhaps you should raise this question with each man you meet.

No scallop I'm not saying that at all.

I'm not talking about "men". These boys aren't protesting on behalf of all men.

They are protesting to make a specific change, at a specific school, where the particular uniform code isn't, in their opinion, fit for purpose.

As for boys being abused for wearing skirts. All round the world men quite happily wear traditional forms of dress that don't include trousers. Without being abused or called trans.

"All round the world" includes within the UK btw. Kilts are perfectly acceptable male dress in Scotland.

I don't think it's acceptable to abuse men or boys for their choice of clothing, but that's really not what this thread or these boys' protest is about.

Elendon I don't understand your first point. A skirt and tights isn't generally warmer or more practical in Winter - why would they wear them in protest?

And, yes, as it happens I have seen sixth form boys wear shorts with their uniform, without ridicule, but regardless I'm not sure why that supports your argument?

The boys in the article aren't seeking a change of uniform because they are being ridiculed. They are seeking a change because of the temperature.

I don't understand what exactly bothers you about this @Elendon .
That they didn't wear shorts and get punished for it?
That they wore skirts and are "praised" for it?
That they did something for themselves without considering the girls as well?
That they used female clothing as a clever ploy?
That the whole thing is pointless for just a few days a year?

My question was why is it a protest?

A protest would have been to wear shorts. Simple.

Instead it is 'Oh my goodness, boys wearing skirts, this cannot happen, let's change the rules.'

Big hand clap to the teenage boys. who are never going to wear shorts to secondary school anyway

Btw at my primary all the male staff have been in shorts lately. Only one is wearing "smart" shorts,the rest are in sporty type shorts.

So each individual man in this country has their own reason for not wearing skirts or do you think we can reach conclusions by observing behaviour?

Gender stereotypes are real (as in they are imposed upon people) and skirts/dresses are part of that. Gender is also a hierarchy with femininity (of which skirts and dresses are a part), in a patriarchy, viewed as less worthy than masculinity.

I'm not angry.

I think this protest is dense and silly and should never be encouraged. Most teenage boys do not do this.

Wear the shorts and take the flack if you really want to protest.

I'm not sure why this is hard to understand.

They would have been sent home for shorts, thus interfering with their education. The school couldn't send them home for skirts.

Presumably if the boys are prepared to risk ridicule (as you pointed out) they must be fairly sure that they'd wear shorts.

Rebel This isn't a primary school.

Kids are hot. Kids ask to wear shorts. They are told no,wear skirts instead. Kids wear skirts.
The fact that the HT was embarrassed by it ir whatever and decided to reconsider(which i doubt tbh) is on her.