Since the early 1900s, dress codes have been in effect, keeping students’ outfits in line with acceptable dress standards of the time. It was common for students to wear suits, dress shoes, and long school dresses depending on their gender in the past. However, with the rapid changes of society, dress codes today are having a hard time keeping up. 

The newest phrase brought to school this year is ‘the 3Bs’: breasts, bellies, and butts. At first glance it seems fine, but many women think it’s unfair and is gender specific. 

This is my third year of attending Klein Oak, and I have never been dress coded. No matter what kind of shorts I wore that day, how many piercings I have, or if I’m wearing a shirt that shows an inch of my midriff, no one has stopped me and told me to go to the office. However, another girl with a different body type will have another experience.

Junior Akaylah Edmunds, a 5’6 girl with long legs, has been dressed coded three times this year alone for wearing shorts even though they were at a mid-thigh length. It’s not proven, but definitely noticed, that if Edmunds was shorter or had shorter legs, she wouldn’t have gotten in trouble.

This sexist dress code not only targets certain females, but all women in general. Around the school there is proof of this. In recent years, a new style of men’s shorts have risen that fall around the middle of their thigh. Many guys walk around with these short shorts without getting dress coded than I would need more fingers to count. However, no guy has ever been dress coded, (that I know of), no matter how low their finger tips are compared to the end of their shorts.

Another form of proof is male student athlete attire. Of course the rules are allowed to be bent in this situation, but guys being allowed to practice shirtless isn’t fair at all when girls are judged for wearing their sport bras.

It’s understood why some rules are put in place for protection and teaching professionalism, but the rules have gone too far and need to become fair. Simple changes can include making sure teachers know to dress code everyone for the same reasons, compromising with students, and educating students on why dress codes are there will help more than the administrators think.