To: Jeff Vaughan, Principle
Stop "Leave Sexy at Home"!
Amend the title of and add a stipulation on the allowance of shorts and tank tops for days when the temperature exceeds 85 degrees for Winston Churchill's dress code, referred to by staff as "Leave Sexy at Home".
Why is this important?
Why it's problematic:
It objectifies and sexualizes young women.
It promotes the idea that a woman's body is inherently sexual, and that it is her job to cover it up to avoid provocation or suffer the consequences.
It instills a harmful mindset that "boys will be boys", and are not responsible for their own actions. This mentality feeds into rape culture, giving way to victim blaming.
The code is heteronormative, and disproportionately will harm LGBTQ+ students for not conforming to its standards.
From the students:
1) As a student who has been told by a teacher that I was "trying too hard to get a boyfriend" because of my outfit, I am appalled by not only the idea that every action by my gender is catered to the desires of a man, but also by the culture of self hatred and blame that this terminology creates. (Hillary)
2) At an assembly, an assistant principal posed this question to us, “How are boys supposed to learn when their classmates are sexier than their teachers?”
To this I ask firstly, why is every action taken by someone who is not male catered to what will please a male? And secondly, if this logic is true, why are LGBTQ women's quality of education not hampered by the way other girls dress? Why are LGBTQ men not overly distracted to the point of academic failure by boys wearing tanktops, shorts, or football leotards? (Maddy)
3) This culture of persecution of LGBTQ/gay students at Churchill HAS to stop. The internalization of my own desire to be feminine (and perhaps wear a dress) which was enflamed by administrative policy eventually led me to have panic attacks and a hospitalization later in life. (Mario)
Please sign this petition so our school will hear our voices, and work with us to make our learning environment safer.
It objectifies and sexualizes young women.
It promotes the idea that a woman's body is inherently sexual, and that it is her job to cover it up to avoid provocation or suffer the consequences.
It instills a harmful mindset that "boys will be boys", and are not responsible for their own actions. This mentality feeds into rape culture, giving way to victim blaming.
The code is heteronormative, and disproportionately will harm LGBTQ+ students for not conforming to its standards.
From the students:
1) As a student who has been told by a teacher that I was "trying too hard to get a boyfriend" because of my outfit, I am appalled by not only the idea that every action by my gender is catered to the desires of a man, but also by the culture of self hatred and blame that this terminology creates. (Hillary)
2) At an assembly, an assistant principal posed this question to us, “How are boys supposed to learn when their classmates are sexier than their teachers?”
To this I ask firstly, why is every action taken by someone who is not male catered to what will please a male? And secondly, if this logic is true, why are LGBTQ women's quality of education not hampered by the way other girls dress? Why are LGBTQ men not overly distracted to the point of academic failure by boys wearing tanktops, shorts, or football leotards? (Maddy)
3) This culture of persecution of LGBTQ/gay students at Churchill HAS to stop. The internalization of my own desire to be feminine (and perhaps wear a dress) which was enflamed by administrative policy eventually led me to have panic attacks and a hospitalization later in life. (Mario)
Please sign this petition so our school will hear our voices, and work with us to make our learning environment safer.