A Student’s Perspective: There Is Sexism In the Classrooms, and Uniforms Are Just the Start

You would imagine that school is a place where everyone is equal.

Yet, if you actually attend school—like myself—you know this is not true.

We get taught about equality of genders in the very classrooms where discrimination based on gender is still very much a thing.

I am not saying all aspects of school life is like this, because society has come incredibly far from where it used to be. However, we have not come far enough for it to not affect our schooling lives.

As the school year is coming to an end, I wanted to report on the subtle sexism I’ve observed the classroom; sexism that many on the outside would not know exists.

One of the most talked about areas of discrimination in schools is the dress code. In Australia, the majority of schools have to wear uniforms, although even we get free dress days occasionally.

The thing is, the rules attached to ‘free dress’ are restricting and ridiculous, and, for the most part, affect only girls. These rules (as experienced in private schools) include girls not being able to wear leggings, singlets or shorts that do not reach the knee, limiting our options. Boys, on the other hand, have free range to wear shorter shorts and singlets. Not only are these double standards unfair, but it also enforces ‘rape culture’, as girls are taught to not wear ‘exposing’ outfits that send the wrong message, rather than boys being taught to respect girls no matter what they are wearing.

This goes hand in hand with the recent campaign and subsequent controversy about boys being able to wear skirts and dresses to school. Uniforms and dress codes should not be gender specific, as every student deserves to feel comfortable in a safe environment and not have restrictions of clothing based on gender.

I have also witnessed the unfairness of the discipline code for female and male students. For instance, male students seem to commonly experience injustice within the discipline code, with harsher punishments and a much higher likelihood of getting in trouble. I see it every day at school, particularly through my brother; teachers appear to be quicker to hand out punishments to male students.

I have even experienced situations where both a female and male did equally bad things, yet only the male got a punishment. Teachers expect the worst of boys, and it is not fair.

School should be a place free from gender stereotypes and discrimination; where we should be able to express ourselves, and excel beyond sexism. I hope school will one day be this place for students.

Ciara Burren is one of Student Edge’s student contributors. See more student contributions here.

Photo: iStock.com/SolStock