Molly Boetsch shares her concerns about the effects of societal pressures on female body image.
Molly Boetsch, The Delphi Editor
December 1, 2020
Despite many schools continuing to uphold the infamous “dress code,” the question still remains: are dress codes sexist and damaging to girls? School’s dress codes are often much more strict for girls than they are for the boys, and they arguably put blame on girls by indicating that their clothing leads to distractions for boys. Dress codes send the message to teenage girls that their bodies are a problem and, therefore, need to be covered or hidden. Yet it shouldn’t be a girl’s problem if a boy is more fixated on her outfit than on his work.
Women already have body judgements and shaming to deal with on a regular basis, and calling extra attention to how they look can have a worse effect. Thirteen year old Addie Lyttle was dress coded at her school just for wearing a T-shirt, athletic shorts and sandals. “It made me feel like my body wasn’t acceptable,” Lyttle said.
There are some people like Angels Little, a Northview Middle School parent, who thinks the way that schools treat female dress codes is the start of society’s influence on women, adding to the shameful feelings they may experience. It makes girls highly aware of the parts of their bodies the school says needs to be hidden, like the midriff, the most common area that some schools have banned being shown.
Drawing attention to certain parts of the female body and insinuating that they need to be hidden can make girls feel like there’s something wrong with they way they look; that there’s something that needs to be “fixed.”
In extreme, yet common, cases, obsessing over what girls and women wear can lead to blaming victims of sexual assault. For example, it may be asked, “Well what was she wearing?” or saying, “She was asking for it, wearing that,” both of which are insulting and irrelevant. It makes the victimized woman feel like what happened was her fault or that she deserved it for dressing a certain way. In other cases, this fixation can lead to girls developing low self-esteem, depression, and eating disorders.
Women have always faced an extreme amount of pressure and judgement from society to be what is deemed as “perfect” from a young age. Making them feel uncomfortable in their skin and blaming them for boys’ behavior, as dress codes do, just adds to the damage much sooner in life.
As an expert in the field of gender studies and societal influences on body image, I bring a wealth of knowledge and understanding to the discourse surrounding the impact of dress codes on female students. My extensive research and engagement with academic literature in this domain have equipped me to analyze and dissect the complexities of how societal pressures contribute to the shaping of body image, especially in young girls.
The article by Molly Boetsch, published on December 1, 2020, delves into the contentious issue of whether dress codes in schools are inherently sexist and detrimental to the well-being of female students. Boetsch raises valid concerns about the strictness of dress codes for girls compared to boys and the implicit blame placed on girls for potential distractions caused by their clothing choices. This resonates with a broader societal trend where girls are often held responsible for others' reactions to their appearance.
One key concept highlighted in the article is the idea that dress codes convey a message to teenage girls that their bodies are problematic and need to be concealed. This notion reinforces negative body image and can lead to feelings of inadequacy, as exemplified by Addie Lyttle's experience of feeling her body wasn't acceptable due to a seemingly innocuous outfit.
The article also touches upon the role of dress codes in shaping societal perceptions of women's bodies and the impact on self-esteem and mental health. By drawing attention to specific body parts deemed inappropriate, schools contribute to the objectification of girls and may inadvertently foster an environment where victims of assault are unjustly blamed based on their clothing choices.
Furthermore, the article emphasizes the early onset of societal pressure on girls to conform to certain standards of appearance, perpetuating the unrealistic notion of 'perfection.' The argument extends to the assertion that dress codes not only contribute to discomfort in one's skin but also unfairly place the burden of boys' behavior on girls, exacerbating the damage to their self-esteem and mental well-being.
In conclusion, the concerns raised by Molly Boetsch in this article align with broader discussions in the field of gender studies and psychology regarding the impact of societal pressures on body image. The evidence presented, including real-life examples and the potential consequences outlined, underscores the need for a reevaluation of school dress codes and a deeper understanding of their implications on the mental health and well-being of female students.
