The Suffolk school board is considering passing a new law that bans students from cross-gender dressing. The new law is meant to prevent bullying and harassment in schools by trying to control what type of clothing is appropriate. They also believe it "causes a disruption and/or distracts others from the education process or poses a health or safety concern." My question is, where do you draw the line between what's cross-gender dressing? What if a boy wears a pink shirt.. is that considered to be cross-gendered dressing? Or what if a girl comes to school in baggy jeans and a baggy t-shirt.. still cross-gendered dressing? Also, what ever happened to self-expression? Students should be able to wake up in the morning and throw on whatever they please. If they feel most comfortable in clothing of the opposite gender, then need be! Laws like these are what force students to conform to social norms. Of course, some may argue that this law is needed in order to protect children from the bullying going on in schools, but what makes it okay to punish the targets by making them act like someone they're not? The real problem here are the bullies. It would be more logical to make more anti-harassment policies rather than targeting victims. Just a thought.
NB
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