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High-school dress code debates are sparking protests around the province – and some local opinions too

A Toronto high school student was told to cover up her “inappropriate” top that showed her stomach, prompting protests urging for change. While some say it’s time to draft a new district-wide dress code policy to eliminate vague language like, “dress modestly” – which some say gives leeway for teacher’s to interpret these “dress code rules” to different extents or how they see fit.

Others, like Lindsay with the Timmins & Area Women in Crisis Centre says the purpose of these “sexist dress codes” is not to prepare students for professionalism in the workforce

Connecting it to rape culture – she says criticizing women’s outfits is just one step short of the attitude “she shouldn’t have been on that street wearing that dress – it’s her fault that happened to her”

(Lindsay) Timmins & Area Women In Crisis says there is a pressure on women to LOOK sexy but never to be sexual

She says we live in a society/culture where men, for example, are encouraged to shed their clothing in the hot, summer heat for maximum comfort. Meanwhile, women are catcalled and scrutinized for dressing comfortably on sticky, sizzling summer days.

Another scenario, perhaps, is when a shirtless, sweaty man mows his lawn in the hot, summer heat, or construction workers strip down to tank tops without a woman rolling down her window to tell him “I’d like a piece of that”. A woman attempting to do the same thing would be seen as an invitation to comment inappropriately

Instead of banning crop-tops and tight pants, she says high-schools should double-check dress-codes for sexist attitudes – punishing the abusers, not women for what they wear.

Lindsay says women are always under pressure to be “available for consumption but never to be consumed”

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