Picture this. It’s a hot August day and it happens to be the first day back to school. You throw on an off-the-shoulder shirt, a pair of jeans, and head out the door to school. Walking inside the stuffy building, you see students fanning themselves to keep cool. You sit down in your first-period class, scrolling through your phone as the teacher makes a phone call. The room goes quiet as she calls your name, telling you to go down to the office. Unsure of what you did, you make your way to the office, sitting down in one of the chairs waiting for someone to tell you what was going on. 

Now imagine the feeling of seeing that little square piece of paper being handed to you. Imagine seeing your name under the word “Violation” and as your eyes scan the rest they see printed at the bottom, “unwanted distraction to class”. You return to your classroom, judgment swirling behind your teachers’ glasses as you meet her glare.

The question is why are women being sexualized for what they’re wearing? If a young woman came to school dressed in a tank top where the sleeves were more than 3 fingers length in width she would still get written up for being “a distraction” or acting “provocative".

That being said, why is it that men are never told that their arms or legs are a distraction or a problem in school yet women face being sexually exploited every time they are written up for being a distraction. Society preaches for women to be comfortable with their bodies yet they’re shamed for wearing clothing that they feel comfortable in, only to be told it is a distraction to others around them. 

If you are sexualizing me, a female who chooses to wear what she feels comfortable in, then YOU are the problem. If you can give me one legitimate reason as to why my shoulders are a distraction then I will accept being written up without a fight. But the problem is that you can't. 

The problem with dress codes across the country is that it is actively targeted towards young females while males are brushed off with no second thought. What we as women wear is not a distraction UNTIL men make it one. And if they choose to use that as an excuse for them not paying attention, then that is when we are being inappropriately sexualized by others. Everyone has shoulders and everyone has legs, so why should I be treated differently because of mine?