Does this outfit look inappropriate to you?
Trafalgar Middle School student Sophie Harris wants the Nelson community to weigh in after she was asked to change due to a dress code violation, a move she calls sexist and unfair.
That’s why the Grade 8 student took to her Instagram account last week to outline her concerns, igniting a social media storm that reached across platforms and inspired comments from hundreds of SD8 students and parents.
“Today I got dress coded before school even started,” Harris wrote.
“I was told my entire outfit was inappropriate. I was told, (this is a direct quote) “we have 11 and 12 year old boys at this school. We can’t have you dressed like that.”
That didn’t sit well with her.
“Well, guess what Trafalgar. That’s not cool. My outfit complied with the written code. My shirt covered my upper body, and was not see through. The neck line was high enough and it didn’t show cleavage.”
She noted, “It didn’t even show my stomach. My shorts were the appropriate length. I checked before I left this house this morning. If I reached down, my fingertips could touch the hemline.”
She then itemized her concerns one by one, noting “I have never been dress coded by a female teacher,”and “Every time I’ve been dress coded it’s because it’s distracting to young boys which is frankly misogynistic because it’s not my problem.”
Put another way: “Teachers can’t expect me to wear a onesie to school in 30 degree weather. It’s summer, deal with it.”
She said the dress code isn’t being applied equally, as boys haven’t been “dress coded” for walking around without their shirts on or wearing their pants around their knees.
“It’s been agreed upon by lots of people at our school that the dress code is sexist, and unfair. Who gets in trouble is based upon the preferred students … The dress code is crazy unfair, and I’m done. Shouts to all the girls who provided pics for my triggered feminist rant.”
She then used the hashtags #feminism and #equalism.
Students at Trafalgar are planning a day of protest in solidarity with Harris on Tuesday, which will be attended by the Star.
