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.

The OP has been quite rude. I don't know what her point was about their wearing white shirts and a tie was- that is standard for boys and girls in any UK school which has a uniform.

If I see threads on this subject I often post Lass and probably make similar points to them, but frequently wear such attire. I don't think it's inconsistent and have never seen anyone looking down on it.

They ARE NOT PERMITTED TO WEAR SHORTS. It is not a list of clothing permitted by that school.
However, skirts ARE so they are they therefore doing several things:
1. Obeying the school dress code and so can therefore attend their lessons. If they wore shorts they would be in breach of their school dress code and be sent home which is not their intention.
2. Keeping cool in what was a blistering hot day.
3. Highlighting a very stupid school policy

This. Like other pps, I'm not sure why the OP doesn't understand this.

I think it's really clever!

Dd doesn't tend to wear a skirt as she is always being told off for having a non uniform skirt

She never gets told off for her non uniform trousers

have never seen anyone looking down on it.

I've seen plenty.

Oh, well that's that then. I've seen you saying people are looking down on it on threads on such clothing before which is why I posted that.

In my freindship circle loads of them wear skirts and dresses

No one gives a shit

I do not tend to as i am roughly the shape of a brick

Though i am wearing a lovely dress to a party on Saturday, it does go someway to disguising my brickishness

I had a conversation about workwear recently between men and women with my mum, dad, brother, boyfriend and sister in law. The guys said they would love to wear shorts/vest tops to work instead of suits shirts and trousers etc but don't feel they can and that women would complain because it's not work appropriate, however, women come in wearing light floaty skirts and blouses, short sleeve tops...why is that acceptable? My dad said men feel they cannot adapt what they wear to work, that it would be a distraction in the workplace and not appropriate. But they also feel women dress inappropriately in the workplace but they don't dare to say anything for fear for being called sexist or against women.
They said it's not that they are attracted to women but women think that that's what it's about.
I asked if they saw a guy come in to work inappropriately dressed would they speak up. Yes was the answer. I asked if a women turned up inappropriately dressed would they speak up? No was their answer.

I think Elendon's been rude and deliberately obtuse. And slightly ridiculous for being so stroppy that the boys chose their own way to protest rather than Elendon's preferred way (why make it about you?).

Being sent home for wearing shorts would've been a crap protest. It's hardly effective for the boys to be at home out of sight while school life continues, is it?! I do wonder if someone's comprehension skills extend to logic and reasoning skills too so that they can work that out

Back in the day when i worked the expectation of what was suitable as office attire was made very clear for both men and women

Both sexes were pulled up on it by managers when appropriate

Girls and boys at schools with uniforms should all be allowed to wear skirts, shorts or trousers.

however, women come in wearing light floaty skirts and blouses, short sleeve tops...why is that acceptable?

But I don't see why light, shortsleeved shirts/dresses are unacceptable. As long as they're smart & neat, and no underwear showing.

I think it's also that the range of "acceptable" clothing for women is much broader. It's a remnant of the idea that women are purely decorative in public, while men get on & do the work.

I think I get it. Is it that the school will be shamed into changing their uniform policy because the boys are doing something embarrassing? And that embarrassment is related to the enforcement of gender norms?

If so, I understand the point.

But to be honest, all I thought was that this might make the boys wear skirts more often. It might actually change peoples minds about skirts being acceptable for both sexes.

Because it didn't look like an embarrassing piss take, it looked like they were quite comfortable in their skirts.

Indeed Datun. Some of the boys said they felt comfortable in skirts and enjoyed wearing them. It'd be good if they felt able to do so more often and more boys and men then found it acceptable to (though shorts should also be permitted in my opinion). The notion skirts are embarrassing for boys/men is ridiculous and grounded in sexism - it's excellent if incidents like this help combat that.

It was fine. They were specifically told they couldn't wear shorts but could wear skirts. White shirt and tie is part of many girls' school uniforms, no problem there. So are black socks - those were acceptable at my DD's all girls' school. Shoes have to fit, you can't just borrow from other people, and a lot of girls wear brogues or similar.

inlove because if a man dressed in a similar fashion then women would complain.

I think it's also that the range of "acceptable" clothing for women is much broader ...no, we as women have deemed it to be appropriate. The 3 men I spoke to didn't think it was. And it's also not fair. Why are there not suits comprised of shorts rather than trousers?

Just listening to be radio 2 discussing this topic. A guy wrote in to say he remembers working in an office where the men had to wear a full suit and tie and only when it reached over 30 degrees were they allowed to even loosen their tie and yet the women were allowed to go in wearing tank tops! Fucking ridiculous

Why are there not suits comprised of shorts rather than trousers?

Because women and girls are deemed to be primarily decorative and so fashion of all kinds is designed for women and girls of all ages to be more revealing. See the difference in shorts for girls and shorts for boys, t-shirts for girls and t-shirts for boys, etc. It's men in the main who've dictated this, as well as the design of suits and workplace attire.

Workplaces can still in some circumstances force women to wear make up and high heels for work despite a significant campaign, which also shows how women are primarily viewed.

We discussed the high heels and make up thing. We all agreed that forcing heels or make up is not on unless it's a job where you'd expect it.model or whatevery. Thatall workplaces should have a clear and fair work wear policy.

I think this is rubbish Because women and girls are deemed to be primarily decorative and so fashion of all kinds is designed for women and girls of all ages to be more revealing. See the difference in shorts for girls and shorts for boys, t-shirts for girls and t-shirts for boys, etc. It's men in the main who've dictated this, as well as the design of suits and workplace attire.

Women love looking pretty. This is clear when women are not at work and are still choosing to get their hair done, wear heels, make up, perfume, nails done, tanning etc etc...men are not to blame for this!!

If women don't want to wear it they wouldn't buy it. Men really don't care as much as we think they do about what we wear.

You can think it's all rubbish all you like but the difference in coverage of clothing made for girls compared to boys starts from a very young age and the contrast is stark.

It's also the case workplace dress codes have been made and enforced almost entirely by men. It's nearly all (if not all) men who design men's suits so maybe they should start designing suits with shorts for adult men since there's apparently such a demand.

Women love looking pretty.

Oh right. I had no idea objectification and sexualisation of girls and women didn't exist and it was simply down to this. Noted.

And who would you say predominantly buys these clothes for said children?

It's also the case workplace dress codes have been made and enforced almost entirely by men. It's nearly all (if not all) men who design men's suits so maybe they should start designing suits with shorts for adult men since there's apparently such a demand.

Please tell me how you could possibly know this. Do you know all brand wear product designers?

Their parents

Of course you're going to claim it's mainly mothers, so say it's mainly women who want their children to dress in such different ways, ignoring the whole issue of the impact of culture and expectations of appearance and the messages this enforces in children. Probably pointless debating this.

Please tell me how you could possibly know this. Do you know all brand wear product designers?

Someone can prove me wrong if they want.

You seem to know all women "want to look pretty" and spend hours on end getting hair and tanning done.