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The moms in the group say they're showing WAY too much.
By Victoria Soliz — Last updated on Oct 23, 2023
In a recent viral TikTok, middle school girls found a secret parents-only Facebook group chat where they bash the girls' outfits.
Ranging from not showing shoulders to even not showing the knees, there are some pretty weird dress codes out there that seem to be biased against girls. However, this group of parents seems to take an issue with a specific middle school's uniform — more specifically, their skirt lengths.
There's a Facebook post from a parents-only devoted to criticizing middle school girls' skirts.
In a TikTok video, user "@nikkigomess_" and her friend shared some comments from a parents-only Facebook group discussing the two girls’ outfits.
“As I sit here in carline at middle school, I see so many girls with super short skirts. Just wondering why do we have a dress code and uniforms yet kids are allowed to show WAY too much?" read the original post. "Is there a certain length that is required? If so, it’s not being enforced. Just my thoughts as my boy is in high school! Lol!”
Parents flocked underneath the post to also share their dismay with the skirt length the girls were wearing.
One commenter even mentioned how she’s had conversations with the administration about the blasphemous short skirts. “They can’t wear jeans with any holes in the knees which is fine if that’s their rule but I know I would much rather see knees than those little booties hanging out of their skirts,” the comment said.
However, one parent came to the girls’ defense.
“I worry about 2 skirts that walk out the door cause they belong to my 2 girls and that’s it. I don’t judge or worry about anyone else’s skirt length ever," they wrote. "As previously talked about some roll, some don’t, some are thin and wear a much smaller size. It’s been going on for years! I teach my son to be respectful regardless of what length a girl’s skirt is and I teach my daughters respect doesn’t come from the length of your skirt.”
The public outcry brings back old arguments about dress codes.
The viral TikTok is just one of the many new conversations teens are having about the double standards their dress codes have. People have taken to social media to share their weirdest and most bizarre dress codes intended to keep boys from getting distracted, as the argument goes.
“The dress code makes girls feel self-conscious, ashamed, and uncomfortable in their own bodies,” Maggie Sunseri, the producer of 'Shame: A Documentary on School Dress Code', told The Atlantic.
“It's not really the formal dress code by itself that is so discriminatory, it’s the message behind the dress code," Sunseri explained. "My principal constantly says that the main reason for [it] is to create a ‘distraction-free learning zone’ for our male counterparts.”
Dress code detractors note that enforcement of dress codes is usually unfair, with consequences distributed unequally against girls and women, and in particular girls and women of color. Meanwhile, men tend to skate by when it comes to dress codes. As Sunseri said, “I’ve never seen a boy called out for his attire even though they also break the rules.”
These days, people have started to collectively fight back against sexist dress codes and demand change. An exposed shoulder isn’t going to drastically change your child’s education.
Victoria Soliz is a writer who covers news and entertainment. Her work explores pop culture trends, film and TV, and celebrity news