Two Teenagers Wear The Same Style Of Clothes To School To Expose How Sexist The Dress Code System Really Is

If you polled an awful lot of women, you'd hear an awful lot of ridiculous personal dress code stories.

Elana

• Published in Interesting
• September 10, 2021

Drew Jarding and Kenzie Crimmins are two teenagers living in Illinois where they also attend high school together. Being a high school student these days has changed a lot in many ways from generations past... and yet, there are some things that haven't changed at all.

For example, dress code policies. Dress code policies have always unfairly targeted and punished girls and young women (and hair related dress codes have unfairly targeted BIPOC, for that matter.)

Drew and Kenzie worked together on an interesting experiment at their school where they both wore a crop-top to school, filmed their experiences, and shared the story and results to TikTok. (A crop top is a "casual garment or undergarment for the upper body, cut short so that it reveals the stomach.")

In an interview with Bored Panda, Drew explained his motivation behind pursuing this experiment:

“I believe the reason for the dress codes is not for the reason of bringing girls down but a way to control them. If teachers and administrators can tell them what to wear, then they have free reign to tell them whatever else they want."

They briefly filmed several points of the day, including walking into school.

Moments at desks.

And even playfully dancing in front of multiple teachers.

Actually, most of the day seemed to be going really well.

Alas, in 7th period, Kenzie was written up while Drew made it through the whole day without so much as a single comment.

A staff member at the school told Kenzie that "her shirt was too revealing," and they told her to go to the resource room to change. She told Buzzfeed:

“Honestly, it just makes me want to wear clothes like that more because the standards are so not the same."

Drew and Kenzie's school dresscode prohbits all sorts of things including:

"crop tops, ripped jeans, spaghetti straps, as well as straps that show ‘too much’ shoulder, dresses, pants, and shorts that are above the knee."

Drew, however, wears things like this all the time.

In fact, he's filmed himself dressing in ways that violate the dress code a TON of times.

“There were a bunch of comments saying that I should do it with a girl and see if she would get dress-coded. I had known that dress codes had been unfair for a while, I just didn’t know to this extent. I was wearing multiple outfits that were going against the code or whatever and they hadn’t said a single thing to me all that week.”

Drew told Buzzfeed he participated in the experiment, "just so you could show how biased they really are."

He also did not expect his video to go as viral as it has gone, saying:

“I knew the video had potential and I knew I had to post it to show the biases of dress codes, but I did not expect that much exposure."

He also said that so far, nothing has changed.

“Sadly, nothing has changed at my school, nor other schools. Albeit it’s great that we’re bringing attention to this prevalent issue."

Drew also thinks that anyone who agrees the dress codes are sexist should act on it.

“Bring awareness and act! Don’t just sit on the sidelines, actually go to school, and when teachers and staff write up you or someone you know, protest!”

So far, Drew's original video has been liked 2.4 million times and the subsequent dress code video is approaching it's 1 millionth like.

While it may have been a bit surprising to Drew to see the videos go as viral as they have, it's not a new issue... and other Internet users have been responding with enthusiasm.

It's obviously a conversation that needs to be considered more seriously than ever before.

Because the double standards are pretty undeniable.

Elsewhere on social media, people have weighed in with more details and explainations and experiences how dress code policies have impacted them and made them feel as long as they've existed, it seems.

Not to mention the contrast last year's students have that no one before has, with so many classes being held entirely via Zoom.

Some of these policies are more ridiculous than others, too, especially if your school is not a public school.

Even teachers weighed in!

A lot of people who have been targeted by Dress Code Enforcement have done nothing, and I mean nothing, more than exist in their bodies.

The contrast between experiences is mind blowing.

Say it louder, Jon!

Drews interest and enthusiasm in these difficult conversations has propelled him forward into social media notoriety.

You can keep up with him and Kenzie: TikTok (Drew) | TikTok (Kenzie) | Instagram (Drew)

Don't be shy, share your thoughts and experiences in the comment section before you go.

Elana