Shame Girls And Perpetuate Rape Cultures Summary
In today’s society young women are required to be mindful regarding the attire worn, to avoid negatively enticing the minds of young men. While girls may appear to dress provocatively, young men should exercise self-control in all environments, rather in school or their home setting. Looking throughout our community, you can see the double standards that exist, and what young women have to endure in school. One such article that shows the struggles of young women is in Laura Bates “How School Dress Codes Shame Girls and Perpetuate Rape Cultures.” In this article she covers many topics including society’s views on what is considered acceptable apparel for young women and sexism. The article states that society gives boys permission to sexually harass women because of articles of clothing or the lack thereof. The world we live in today perpetuates a culture where girls cannot simply wear clothing of their choice, due to the fact boys may find them irresistible. This makes it extremely difficult for young women to be treated without bias, dress
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comfortably, and not feel violated.
Laura Bates’ article reveals several good points supporting her thesis of “How School Dress Codes Shame Girls and Perpetuate Rape Culture” (HN). There are several arguments that Bates used in support of her thesis. One of her arguments in the articles is when she mentioned how a young girl received a detention for wearing shorts. “I got dress coded at my school for wearing shorts. After I left the principal’s office with a detention, I walked past another student wearing a shirt depicting two stick figures: the male holding down the females head in his crotch and saying ‘good girls swallow’. Teachers walked right past him and didn’t say a thing.”(25). A second point Bates makes is the fact that there is no dress code for men. Girls having a dress code is completely sexist compared to the nonexistent dress code for males. Bates further drives home her thesis, explaining how the dress codes dictates every aspect of a girl’s wardrobe. It reads that girls can only wear knee length shorts or skirts, no cleavage showing, no bra straps, no tank tops, and no flip flops.
In addition to her point regarding no dress codes for males, Bates continues to soundly support her thesis.
She mentioned how a student was given three specific reasons for a female dress code: “1) There are male teachers and male sixth formers [high school seniors] 2) Teachers feel uncomfortable around bras etc. 3) Don’t want the boys to target you or intimidate you.” (40) Bates uses these reasons to make one of her most powerful assertions of yet; one that she believes perpetuates the sexual exploitation of girls’ bodies and at the same time systematically wires boys to harass and idolize them. She goes on to claim to the audience that this behavior prepares them for college life, where one in five women is sexually assaulted on college campus. Bates statement regarding sexual assault on college campus should be thoroughly researched to determine whether or not her claim is true; she offered no evidence to back up this
claim.
Laura Bate’s article presents a couple facts early on to support her thesis demonstrating how dress codes can bring shame to girls and perpetuate a culture of Rape. She mentioned a Canadian teen that was given a detention for wearing a dress that bared shoulders and back and a UK school that announced plans to ban skirts. This information should be easily verifiable with minimum research; however, Laura also uses some data that is reported from other sources that is not as easy to be verified. She mentioned leggings and yoga pants banned and girls reportedly being told to flap their arms up and down while their attire was inspected, without naming a specific school, person, or source. Laura then switches back to presenting factual information from the Everyday Sexism Project where a very compelling and appealing case for her thesis was made using vivid accounts of female students being subjected to unfair dress codes. She strengthens her argument here, and the facts would be difficult to be contested. She uses logic, logos, and appeal successfully to make her case to her audience. She also uses emotion, pathos when she references how dress codes are starting to feel less like protecting children and more about protecting social norms.
Schools across the country need to learn to treat genders fairly. If a school has a dress code it should be for both girls and boys. Everyone should be treated equally and with respect. We need to change as a society and show girls and boys that they are equal. Schools should let girls wear what makes them feel comfortable and what makes them feel good. In a perfect world girls and boys would be able to dress in whatever they would like. If society keeps running like it is, the rate for sexual assault victims will increase. Schools need to abolish dress codes and let the girls be independent by being able to wear what they would like. Dress codes do shame girls and perpetrate rape cultures.
comfortably, and not feel violated.
Laura Bates’ article reveals several good points supporting her thesis of “How School Dress Codes Shame Girls and Perpetuate Rape Culture” (HN). There are several arguments that Bates used in support of her thesis. One of her arguments in the articles is when she mentioned how a young girl received a detention for wearing shorts. “I got dress coded at my school for wearing shorts. After I left the principal’s office with a detention, I walked past another student wearing a shirt depicting two stick figures: the male holding down the females head in his crotch and saying ‘good girls swallow’. Teachers walked right past him and didn’t say a thing.”(25). A second point Bates makes is the fact that there is no dress code for men. Girls having a dress code is completely sexist compared to the nonexistent dress code for males. Bates further drives home her thesis, explaining how the dress codes dictates every aspect of a girl’s wardrobe. It reads that girls can only wear knee length shorts or skirts, no cleavage showing, no bra straps, no tank tops, and no flip flops.
In addition to her point regarding no dress codes for males, Bates continues to soundly support her thesis.
She mentioned how a student was given three specific reasons for a female dress code: “1) There are male teachers and male sixth formers [high school seniors] 2) Teachers feel uncomfortable around bras etc. 3) Don’t want the boys to target you or intimidate you.” (40) Bates uses these reasons to make one of her most powerful assertions of yet; one that she believes perpetuates the sexual exploitation of girls’ bodies and at the same time systematically wires boys to harass and idolize them. She goes on to claim to the audience that this behavior prepares them for college life, where one in five women is sexually assaulted on college campus. Bates statement regarding sexual assault on college campus should be thoroughly researched to determine whether or not her claim is true; she offered no evidence to back up this
claim.
Laura Bate’s article presents a couple facts early on to support her thesis demonstrating how dress codes can bring shame to girls and perpetuate a culture of Rape. She mentioned a Canadian teen that was given a detention for wearing a dress that bared shoulders and back and a UK school that announced plans to ban skirts. This information should be easily verifiable with minimum research; however, Laura also uses some data that is reported from other sources that is not as easy to be verified. She mentioned leggings and yoga pants banned and girls reportedly being told to flap their arms up and down while their attire was inspected, without naming a specific school, person, or source. Laura then switches back to presenting factual information from the Everyday Sexism Project where a very compelling and appealing case for her thesis was made using vivid accounts of female students being subjected to unfair dress codes. She strengthens her argument here, and the facts would be difficult to be contested. She uses logic, logos, and appeal successfully to make her case to her audience. She also uses emotion, pathos when she references how dress codes are starting to feel less like protecting children and more about protecting social norms.
Schools across the country need to learn to treat genders fairly. If a school has a dress code it should be for both girls and boys. Everyone should be treated equally and with respect. We need to change as a society and show girls and boys that they are equal. Schools should let girls wear what makes them feel comfortable and what makes them feel good. In a perfect world girls and boys would be able to dress in whatever they would like. If society keeps running like it is, the rate for sexual assault victims will increase. Schools need to abolish dress codes and let the girls be independent by being able to wear what they would like. Dress codes do shame girls and perpetrate rape cultures.