• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Are dress codes oppressive to women?

Josie

Josie

*probably reading smut*
Supporting Member
DP Veteran
Joined
Mar 25, 2010
Messages
57,626
Reaction score
32,159
Gender
Female
Political Leaning
Libertarian - Right
I assume almost all places of work have some sort of dress code guidelines. Usually those dress code rules pertain to women since men don't really have a wide variety of different kinds of clothing. At my school, we can't wear spaghetti straps, shorts and skirts have to be fingertip length, you can't wear tight leggings unless you're wearing a longer top to cover your butt, no flip flops, no cleavage.

Do you believe these rules are oppressive to women? If so, what would you change? Should women be able to wear anything they want to work no matter where they work? If not, are there any kind of dress code rules that you would deem oppressive to women?

7e441c7419f58463d3425fb60d63c307.jpg
 
The thing about standards is that they are always oppressive, but if they are well designed they are also beneficial...so the answer is "Of Course, why should I consider this a problem?".
 
Yes ... it's going to kill it for me with the LPGA :2razz:
 
I see office dress codes as unnecessary and dumb regardless of gender. There is no reason for it, all it does is make workers uncomfortable.
 
Dress code for both sexes are oppressive. Unless it's your job, work is not the place to try to show off style. It too easily becomes a distraction.
 
I think women should be able to wear whatever they want, free of judgment or harassment. However, just because I think that doesn't mean it happens. Are dress codes oppressive? Probably. Are they well intentioned? Also probably... It's hard to know where to draw the line - I mean, would a bikini be appropriate? Would a guy going to class with his shirt off be appropriate? I know these are extreme examples, and that you're not suggesting they be ok, it's just to demonstrate the point of how where to draw the line can be a difficult and awkward process.

It's a hard topic, and I see both sides...even if the school is a bit prudish. It's easier to maintain a standard dress code than it is to go student by student and say what is and what is not appropriate on any given day, and in any given circumstance.

What would I change? A few tens of thousands of years worth of male domination driving the societal norms we see today, so that a girl could wear whatever she wants without having to think twice about it. But in lieu of that, I'm for schools having standards (that can be scrutinized and adjusted with the times, as necessary) -- think of it as a course in "office casual"...lol... I know you wanna fight it, but it's what's at the end of the line, so you might as well get used to it...hehe... Save your "flaunting what your mamma gave you" for evenings and weekends, just like the rest of us... :)
 
I’d say “oppressive” is overselling it. In the vast majority of examples I’ve seen, dress codes are well intentioned with the intention to have similar impacts to everyone regardless of gender. They also have to deal with fundamental differences in male and female fashion and underlying social structures and sometimes they don’t handle them as well as they could.

There are a small minority of examples which are more extreme, such as making women wear high-heals to make them look more appealing for example. They’re bad (and often technically illegal) but not as common as you might imagine from the media (which obviously focuses on the extreme for “better” headlines).
 
KevinKohler said:
Dress code for both sexes are oppressive. Unless it's your job, work is not the place to try to show off style. It too easily becomes a distraction.
Click to expand...

If you are distracted by someone else's casual clothing you have much bigger problems.
 
Josie said:
I assume almost all places of work have some sort of dress code guidelines. Usually those dress code rules pertain to women since men don't really have a wide variety of different kinds of clothing. At my school, we can't wear spaghetti straps, shorts and skirts have to be fingertip length, you can't wear tight leggings unless you're wearing a longer top to cover your butt, no flip flops, no cleavage.

Do you believe these rules are oppressive to women? If so, what would you change? Should women be able to wear anything they want to work no matter where they work? If not, are there any kind of dress code rules that you would deem oppressive to women?

View attachment 67220747
Click to expand...

this is one example why you should want to have a union represent you
so that the employer is not able to unilaterally implement unreasonable dress code rules
 
Carjosse said:
If you are distracted by someone else's casual clothing you have much bigger problems.
Click to expand...

If I go to work in a wife beater and dick tight biker shorts, it's gonna be a distraction.
 
KevinKohler said:
If I go to work in a wife beater and dick tight biker shorts, it's gonna be a distraction.
Click to expand...

Shouldn't be, unless you are meeting with people who cares. Everyone will think you are trashy but that is entirely your fault. So if you remove dress codes social pressures are also removed somehow?
 
Carjosse said:
If you are distracted by someone else's casual clothing you have much bigger problems.
Click to expand...

If you're busy chit chatting about the designer clothes, or gossiping about how much cleavage so and so is showing, etc.


Managers work and operate in reality, not la la land, and in reality, these are the problems that resulted in dress codes in the first place.
 
Burkas for all women if they must be allowed to work - end of discussion. ;)

image.jpg
 
KevinKohler said:
If you're busy chit chatting about the designer clothes, or gossiping about how much cleavage so and so is showing, etc.


Managers work and operate in reality, not la la land, and in reality, these are the problems that resulted in dress codes in the first place.
Click to expand...

Because no one ever does that with office attire? People gossip about clothing no matter what they wear unless you force everyone to wear a grey jumpsuit or everyone wears a burka. Most businesses without a dress code function fine. Hell some of the largest companies in the world have casual dress.

You should probably try and get better employees if that is your reasoning.
 
justabubba said:
this is one example why you should want to have a union represent you
so that the employer is not able to unilaterally implement unreasonable dress code rules
Click to expand...

Except everyone has different ideas of what "unreasonable" is.
 
I remember one day at work when I saw another teacher with a very low cut top with her boobs hanging out.

Yeah -- we got a mass email reminding us about dress code rules after that day.
 
Josie said:
I assume almost all places of work have some sort of dress code guidelines. Usually those dress code rules pertain to women since men don't really have a wide variety of different kinds of clothing. At my school, we can't wear spaghetti straps, shorts and skirts have to be fingertip length, you can't wear tight leggings unless you're wearing a longer top to cover your butt, no flip flops, no cleavage.

Do you believe these rules are oppressive to women? If so, what would you change? Should women be able to wear anything they want to work no matter where they work? If not, are there any kind of dress code rules that you would deem oppressive to women?

View attachment 67220747
Click to expand...

I have to shave my face. I can't wear sandals. I can't have shorts on. I can't wear T-shirts with sports logos unless they are small (and have to be on a collared shirt). Belt is required. I cannot wear socks that are not a professional collar. My hair must be a natural color.

No. Dress codes aren't oppressive to women who can wear skirts or pants (I live in Florida so it is ****ing hot). Don't have to shave. Can wear sandals. Don't have to have on collared shirts and on and on.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Josie said:
I assume almost all places of work have some sort of dress code guidelines. Usually those dress code rules pertain to women since men don't really have a wide variety of different kinds of clothing. At my school, we can't wear spaghetti straps, shorts and skirts have to be fingertip length, you can't wear tight leggings unless you're wearing a longer top to cover your butt, no flip flops, no cleavage.

Do you believe these rules are oppressive to women? If so, what would you change? Should women be able to wear anything they want to work no matter where they work? If not, are there any kind of dress code rules that you would deem oppressive to women?

View attachment 67220747
Click to expand...

I do not consider your (bolded above) dress code to be oppressive - do you?
 
ttwtt78640 said:
I do not consider your (bolded above) dress code to be oppressive - do you?
Click to expand...

No. I appreciate dress codes.....except that one principal I had who wouldn't let us wear sandals at all. Stupid.
 
Josie said:
Except everyone has different ideas of what "unreasonable" is.
Click to expand...

but a union would be able to establish what its membership found to be unreasonable

management would not be able to unilaterally make that determination
 
Josie said:
Usually those dress code rules pertain to women since men don't really have a wide variety of different kinds of clothing.
Click to expand...

You said it right there. Dress codes are not oppressive. I don't want co-workers wearing tight fitting tank tops with leggings in a workplace environment. I don't think I'd work at a company that allows you to wear flip flops. But that's just me.
 
Josie said:
I assume almost all places of work have some sort of dress code guidelines. Usually those dress code rules pertain to women since men don't really have a wide variety of different kinds of clothing. At my school, we can't wear spaghetti straps, shorts and skirts have to be fingertip length, you can't wear tight leggings unless you're wearing a longer top to cover your butt, no flip flops, no cleavage.

Do you believe these rules are oppressive to women? If so, what would you change? Should women be able to wear anything they want to work no matter where they work? If not, are there any kind of dress code rules that you would deem oppressive to women?
Click to expand...

Men don't complain about the lack of clothing that women wear, or might wear.

Women are the chief complainers.

If we could get women to stop being so uptight about what other women wear, things might change.
 
As long as it's applied to both genders I'm pretty ok with it.

Women should only be forced to wear high heels if men are also. I would note that every woman in the OP is wearing heels.

If we're talking about schools, I think uniforms are great and all kids should have to wear them.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom