Every school year, we see dozens of stories about girls being unfairly pulled out of class or barred from school dances because some administrator doesn't like what they're wearing. It's frustrating, and it's made many people question whether or not schools should even be allowed to police what students wear. That's why so many people are loving this teen who used her senior yearbook quote as an opportunity to get the final word on her school's dress code.
Victoria DiPaolo, who's about to graduate from West Milford High School in New Jersey, shared her yearbook photo on Twitter. In it, she's wearing the traditional black, off-the-shoulder drape they've required girls to wear in yearbook photos since forever. But, underneath that, her yearbook quote reads, "I'm sorry, did my shoulders distract you from reading this quote?"
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Of course, some haters also came out to play. Plenty of people wanted DiPaolo to know her flippant attitude toward dress codes wouldn't fly in the workplace.
Kiddo? Seriously? How condescending.
Whether you agree with DiPaolo or not, the bottom line is that most school dress codes do unfairly target girls. Girls are not only tasked with finding the "right" clothes to wear, but also forced to contend with the idea that their bodies are a "distraction" to boys and that they're somehow less deserving of respect if they wear a skirt or a tank top. It's ridiculous.
Sure, most of us have to comply with an office dress code, but that's a different issue entirely from the stringent expectations girls face at school and the way they're ridiculed, shamed, and forced to miss valuable learning time whenever someone has an issue with their leggings.
As a parent, I think DiPaolo's quote is awesome. It proves that she's confident, forward-thinking, and not afraid to stand up for what she believes in. That's the best we can hope for our kids, and I have no doubt she'll keep kicking ass post-graduation as well.
