Poll: So... Why can't guys have pericings at my high school, but chicks can?

[Crazzy349]

"Monday," I thought. "I start my last long year of being an idiot child, and then I can move up to stupid college freshmen". But after that thought, I remembered.
I can't have my facial hair.
I have to shave it off, because reasons*
That was my worry, but then a friend told me he wasn't allowed to ware his ear rings.
"Well girls can have them, why can't you?"

That bothered me, so I went to check my schools dress code policy and sure enough, it was true.
And also
A) Guys can't have long hair
B) Guys can't have sleeveless shirts
C) Guys can't fingernail polish (or toenail polish. *Shrug*)

So... why can't guys have this? It's Texas.

Most of the other dress code rules make sense, but I can't see why I'm not allowed to have any of this stuff.

If you want to read the Dress Code policy, here
http://www.mabankisd.net/users/0001/files/Handbooks/MHS_Handbook.pdf
The Dress code is page 29
Idc much, I graduate this year. But still I feel its worth discussing.

So what do think their reasoning behind this is? Do you think its fair? Please Discuss

*(Actually their excuse is they can't have students being confused as adults. Really.)

 

[Aris Khandr]

That seems awfully discriminatory. I bet you could fight it, if your parents were willing to back you up on the trouble you'd get into first. The ACLU would probably be happy to help with the legal battle, if it comes to that. Especially if you can find someone who is transgender and being kept from being herself by the policy.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

So... why can't guys have this? It's Texas.

You answered yourself right there didn't you? It's Texas. Not exactly the most liberal place on Earth.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

If you're looking for "fairness" high school really isn't the place.

As far as the policy goes, they'd probably be better off saying that they want to present their school as a professional environment. Since most professional organizations wouldn't hire a man who has pierced ears, nail polish, long hair, tattoos and wears sleeveless shirts then their dress code policy is in place to teach students what is and isn't appropriate to wear in the workplace.

The excuse that they don't want students to be "confused" as adults is utter horseshit though.

 

[Arouet]

As far as the policy goes, they'd probably be better off saying that they want to present their school as a professional environment.

Which is itself horseshit. Schools aren't workplaces. They're places in which children are allowed to learn and figure out who they want to be and what they want to do. We can be worry about our professional image when we damn well need to.

 

[Erttheking]

Yeah, pretty clear cut and dry "That's kinda bullshit."

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

As far as the policy goes, they'd probably be better off saying that they want to present their school as a professional environment.

Which is itself horseshit. Schools aren't workplaces. They're places in which children are allowed to learn and figure out who they want to be and what they want to do. We can be worry about our professional image when we damn well need to.

No, a school isn't where children are "allowed to learn and figure out who they want to be," that's a university. A high school is basically a prison where children have no rights, are forced to learn, and where every moment from their entry in the morning to their exit in the afternoon is strictly controlled. If you think otherwise you're dead wrong. If school was a place where children are "allowed" to learn, then it wouldn't be forced upon you.

 

[Arouet]

It's what high school should be. The ideal to be pushed for. If you going to force people to go to something you better actually have rules that support the supposed purpose of it. It's not meant to be a workplace.

And I think half the problems of American teenagers are that we forceably stunt their maturation to the point that they're trapped in a limbo between childhood and adulthood for years and years rather than be allowed to continue amassing responsibility naturally. No wonder they go crazy.

 

[Crazzy349]

If you're looking for "fairness" high school really isn't the place.

As far as the policy goes, they'd probably be better off saying that they want to present their school as a professional environment. Since most professional organizations wouldn't hire a man who has pierced ears, nail polish, long hair, tattoos and wears sleeveless shirts then their dress code policy is in place to teach students what is and isn't appropriate to wear in the workplace.

The excuse that they don't want students to be "confused" as adults is utter horseshit though.

Yeah, that would make sense, but they give us bullshit reasons instead, as if were idiots.... well, only a few highschoolers aren't, so I guess I see how they get that by us very easily.

So... why can't guys have this? It's Texas.

You answered yourself right there didn't you? It's Texas. Not exactly the most liberal place on Earth.

Yeah, I guess I did didn't I. Damn it Texas, y u gotta suck.

That seems awfully discriminatory. I bet you could fight it, if your parents were willing to back you up on the trouble you'd get into first. The ACLU would probably be happy to help with the legal battle, if it comes to that. Especially if you can find someone who is transgender and being kept from being herself by the policy.

I bet that would work. The only issue is finding a trans person who would be will to come and publicly in Texas. I'll keep it in mind though, thank you.

 

[Angelblaze]

Your school's policy is bullshit. To be honest I wish more guys had long hair, I find guys with long black hair/reasonable stubble to be hot...as long as said hair has volume. (Though, that's a different subject for a different time)

(I'm answering this as a feminist to because of recent events, still moving pieces and people yelling in my ear that I'm not a 'loud' enough 'good' feminist + the title of this post and events sound like a social justice issue argument waiting to happen.)

 

[krazykidd]

Texas, you mean that place that known for segregation?

Yeah , good luck with that.

My advice? Get the fuck out of texas before you become one of them.

 

[Majinash]

I feel weird that I think this isn't such a big deal. Is this a public school? private?

I went to a pretty preppy private high school, and the boys were not allowed facial hair (only exception I know was 1 guy who was playing the lead in Fiddler on the Roof, never known a 17 year old who could grow a full beard that fast), there were limits placed on excessive jewelry for girls, skirts had to be longer than some set amount ect.

I guess these days I look back and think it was pretty normal because most of my jobs have a very similar requirement. They limit earring sizes and numbers for women, state nail polish and hair colors must be "natural" (no bright pinks greens ect). Men's facial hair is somewhat limited, can't just start growing a beard have to have 5 days of growth, can't be a foo-man-chu yadda yadda.

I guess my point is I was introduced to being made to "look professional" at an early age and I'm still doing it today, so it doesn't seem like my freedoms are being infringed upon or anything like that. But maybe that just means I've had the ideas ingrained in me by someone else... maybe it is just life.

I know the reason fully why they have different standards for boys and girl, and I think we will see changes in the future. You can fight for equality now, and try to force the change, and I don't think that would be wrong. But I have a feeling that these types of double standards will disappear in time (not a long time either) with how things are going. Things that are traditionally masculine or feminine or... (fringe the right word?) like men wearing earrings and makeup are slowing becoming more of a norm in our culture. As they become more and more common, and when the next generation takes over policy making, I think we will see people remove these types of things without a fight, just naturally.

 

[Harpalyce]

Short answer: bullshit gender standards which dictate boys and girls must be opposites in appearance, personality, et cetera.

Long answer: buuuuuuuuuuuullllllllllllllllshiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit geeeennnnnnnndddeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrr staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnndddaaaaaaaarrrrrrddddddddddddddddssssssssss.

Honestly that's really the only way to adequately explain such things. If it makes you feel better, a good part of those girls with earrings probably got their ears pierced at age 5 while they screamed and tried to get away from somebody being paid minimum wage wielding a piercing gun at the mall. Gender standards are really fucked up when you start categorizing just how women are expected to mutilate their bodies in order to look professional. No, really, I know I sound like a raving feminist for a minute here, but have you ever seen a diagram of what kind of damage happens when you wear high heels daily? It's some fucked up shit.

Anyway, back to my point - take comfort in the fact that soon you'll be out from underneath the high school's strict rule, and you can revel in breaking the rules. (My HS didn't allow t-shirts and it's taking me like 3 years after graduating from college to realize that woman cannot dress herself in t-shirts and jeans alone, at least not all of the time, simply because as soon as I got free of high school it was ALL T-SHIRTS ALL THE TIME T-SHIRT BONANZA.) College is a good time to experiment. And hey, if you want that piercing, you'll be able to do this stuff of your own volition - and to take the time to find a really good piercer to do it.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

Eughughugh. Picking fights about wearing piercings in high school. Fighting it isn't going to accomplish anything, leaving it be is going to lead to nothing. There's no domino effect if you leave it be. Chances are it isn't going to be enforced. It's so not worth your time, and there's no debate besides high school codes of conducts being pretty weird sometimes.

 

[Crazzy349]

I feel weird that I think this isn't such a big deal. Is this a public school? private?

It's Public. Man and I thought my school had a lot of rules lol. TBH at this point, I only have a year left so it really isn't a big deal to me, but it still frustrates me that their are these kinda of double standards. And this is coming from a person staying way out SJW,MRA,Feminist, movements.

Texas, you mean that place that known for segregation?

Yeah , good luck with that.

My advice? Get the fuck out of texas before you become one of them.

Trying too. But then I would have to pay out of state tuition to go to college. so damn. I'm kinda stuck.

(I'm answering this as a feminist to because of recent events, still moving pieces and people yelling in my ear that I'm not a 'loud' enough 'good' feminist + the title of this post and events sound like a social justice issue argument waiting to happen.)

Well, it be the one of the few social justice issues I'd get behind, coming from a person who stays far away from these kinds of things for the most part.

Anyway, back to my point - take comfort in the fact that soon you'll be out from underneath the high school's strict rule, and you can revel in breaking the rules. (My HS didn't allow t-shirts and it's taking me like 3 years after graduating from college to realize that woman cannot dress herself in t-shirts and jeans alone, at least not all of the time, simply because as soon as I got free of high school it was ALL T-SHIRTS ALL THE TIME T-SHIRT BONANZA.) College is a good time to experiment. And hey, if you want that piercing, you'll be able to do this stuff of your own volition - and to take the time to find a really good piercer to do it.

Oh I take a lot of comfort in that. (Damn your highschool must of sucked lol.) Im not into piercings to be fair, I just want to keep my small, yet glorious beard.

 

[Crazzy349]

Eughughugh. Picking fights about wearing piercings in high school. Fighting it isn't going to accomplish anything, leaving it be is going to lead to nothing. There's no domino effect if you leave it be. Chances are it isn't going to be enforced. It's so not worth your time, and there's no debate besides high school codes of conducts being pretty weird sometimes.

You're right, except the part about it not being enforced. They monitors everywhere, picking people out of the crowd and making sure they are complying with their policies. My school is very uptight making sure everyone follows everything it's directed us to do.

 

[Queen Michael]

That's just nasty. The kind of pointless discrimination that doesn't help anybody.

 

[Bellvedere]

Yeah it is a double standard. In fairness to the school though it's the result of those things (earrings, nailpolish, long hair) being more unconventional for guys and as a result not looking as "professional". If you want to see change I'd suggest leading by example (once you're free of the place) and showing how classy (and not like a pirate) guys can look with a beard, earrings, nail polish and long hair. Get people used to it for the future generations!

My school had a dress code but it rarely came up unless it looked really unprofessional. Which naturally then led to the whole "but he's allowed!" thing. It's a nice idea that kids should be free to experiment with their looks in school, but the appearance and behavior of students reflects on the school, so it's understandable they don't want to be advertised as a school of grotty delinquents, same as any business environment that demands the same.

 

[PinkiePyro]

its this kind of shit that makes we wish Texas really would secede from the rest of the U.S. instead of just bitching about it..
I swear some of the old fashioned or just racist stuff that comes from there makes me head desk so much there is now a dent in my desk

 

[Tanis]

Good luck on them ENFORCING that.

All it takes is one annoyed kid with parents who care to bring in the wraith of the ACLU or some other pro-equality group.

I lived in a town that forced public school students, all grades, to wear uniforms.
That lasted about...o, maybe, a year.

Then a HUGE group of parents rallied and got it changed.