Uniforms: A Tool For Ensuring Equality Or Dispensing Gender Stereotypes (By-PRERNA HEGDE & PRASHASTI MATHUR)
Uniforms: A
Tool For Ensuring Equality Or Dispensing Gender Stereotypes
Authored By- 1. PRERNA HEGDE
Designation – Second Year Student of B.A.LLB
(Hons.)
Institutional
Affiliation –
Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur
2. PRASHASTI
MATHUR
Designation – Second Year Student of B.A.LLB
(Hons.)
Institutional
Affiliation –
Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur
Abstract
Uniform is an accessory that every student adheres to but sometimes it
feels like this uniform can be discriminatory to girls as schools ask for more
compliance from girls and impose more rules upon them to govern how they should
look and conduct themselves in a classroom so as to not be a ‘distraction’ to
boys. Although, there are many problems associated with uniforms, this essay
deals with gender stereotyping done by uniforms, for this purpose, the
researchers have also conducted interviews of girls from different states and
tried to understand views from varying diversity to get a better idea of this
problem from different point of views and have tried to give suggestions which
will help in breaking gender stereotypes.
Keywords – Discriminatory, Distraction, Diversity, Gender Stereotyping, Interview,
Schools, Suggestions, Uniforms
I.
Introduction
Uniforms, a symbol of equality or so
it is supposed to be but is it really achieving all its goals? It cannot be
denied that uniforms certainly play a major role to develop a sense of identity
and belonging but most importantly it plays the role of placing all the
students on the same level economically and reduces religious discrimination,
this plays an extremely paramount role in developing a child’s character and
helps them make friends easily, but despite these achievements it sometimes
feels like uniforms are breaking certain stereotypes by reinforcing other
stereotypes. How does this happen?
What image forms in our mind when we
say ‘comfortable clothing’ especially in terms of performing outdoor
activities? Girls surely wouldn’t respond saying, their ‘school uniforms.’ And
therein lies the problem. Many capable young girls are held back from many
activities in school time because of the kind of uniform they are required to
wear in fear of getting exposed or being chastised and called indecent by their
own teachers, whereas boys have no such inhibitions, their uniforms allow them
to perform as much physical activity as desired with no fears.
On the face of it, uniforms enforce
gender stereotypes and discrimination. These uniforms that are supposed to be
the epitome of equality, becomes a hurdle in this aspect. The inspiration
behind writing this essay is that, one day since we – the researchers of this
paper – hail from different states and while having a discussion regarding our
respective school uniforms and it was then that we realised that certain
schools make girls wear uncomfortable clothes whereas boys are mostly seen
wearing comfortable clothes. There is no explanation for this norm and on top
of that girls are asked to follow several rules about how they wear their
uniforms, how they have to be presented? how they appear? and how they have to
behave in that uniform? we realized that this was a problem and decided to
express our opinions about it.
The problem discussed above is
nothing but gender stereotyping, the rule that girls should wear such kinds of
uniform which helps them cover as much skin as possible. Moreover, with growing
age as when girls move to higher classes a number of restrictions pile upon
them. They are asked to wear stockings to cover their legs, most of them who
wore skirts in their junior classes would be asked to shift towards wearing
salwar, kurta as according to the society they have ‘grown up’ and they need to
cover their bodies to avoid being a
‘distraction’ to boys etc. Along with
this, there are a number of activities that girls want to do but these uniforms
restrict them. In order to gain insight about the same, the researchers have
interviewed girls from different states and taken up their views upon the same
for the purpose of this essay.
Therefore, this paper dwells into a
deep analysis on uniforms, their importance and the researchers are going to
discuss the problems related to girls uniform quite in depth and also suggest
what can be done to make uniform the symbol of equality in every possible way
not just economically but also socially.
“Uniform
makes for brotherhood, since when universally adopted it covers up all
differences of class and country”
-
Robert Baden-Powell
II.
Necessity And Benefits Of Wearing
School Uniform
Before getting into the
discriminatory aspects of uniform, let us try to understand why and how
uniforms are important and necessary tool for ensuring equality. A uniform is a
set of clothes that students are asked to wear and most of the times, these set
of clothes are same for one particular school. Therefore, uniforms provide
students with a sense of identity, they make them feel like they are a part of
the school[1].
It also shows respect towards the school, teachers and to education itself.
When a student wears the same clothes
as every other student, it creates an atmosphere of education as the students
will link the uniform to acquiring knowledge. It creates a seriousness that
should be associated with education and thus, students will feel compelled to
maintain the decorum[2].
If there is no uniform, this linking factor will disappear. Moreover, wearing
uniform instils the importance of education. Apart from this, uniform plays an
important role in other aspects as well.
In a society where, economic status
can be used as a tool for discrimination and becomes a topic for bullying,
uniform effectively curbs this problem[3].
When kids of similar age are
wearing the same clothes, economic
status of any student is hard to discern. Thus, it places every student on the
same level playing grounds. Making friends becomes easier when this problem is
resolved. Also, there are no second-thoughts in the mind of these students,
since they all appear in the same manner. Hence, this ensures equality.
Other than that, it saves a lot of
time, a kid doesn’t have to wake up and mull over what to wear that day as the
first thing in the morning, since repeating the same clothes is a ‘sin’ or so
has been enforced into their minds. This not only puts pressure on the kid but
also on the parents because its ultimately them who have to unnecessarily buy
new clothes out of compulsion so that their kid doesn’t feel singled out[4].
Hence, uniforms are wallet-friendly for the parents because it acts like a
onetime investment[5].
So now, since the students don’t feel
inferiority complex or low self-esteem with regards to their clothes, their
attention is one hundred percent on learning and learning with different
students without thinking about other apprehensions. In fact, many experts believe
that uniforms increase the attention of students in a class. Experts also
believe that these uniforms reduce violence since it is one less thing to bully
about and this way avoids social conflicts[6].
This is the reason why school uniforms seem to be becoming increasingly popular
in the US where this system is not followed prominently.
On top of that, it also gives them
something to look forward to, what is that? There are some special days that
students are allowed to wear civil clothes or ‘colour dress’, thus, when
student wears uniform every single day, the one day that they don’t have to,
makes them feel happy and gives them something to look forward to and be
excited about, this way it teaches them to appreciate little things in life and
inculcates a sense of gratitude. Especially on their birthdays, this point
makes them feel special which is also very important for the development of a
child.
This analysis above paints a
wholesome and positive image of uniforms but, despite all these positive
factors, there still are facets of a society that the uniform has been unable
to solve and in fact in this case, uniforms are seen to be endorsing it, that
is, sexism or gender stereotyping.
The type of uniform is dissimilar for boys and
girls and because of this, girls miss out on major sports activities as they
are not comfortable enough in their uniforms and if they exert themselves to
giving their best, they might be left vulnerable and then the same teachers who
asked them to wear those uniforms will now scold them for not handling
themselves properly. Even the rules to wear theses uniform are different for
boys and girls. This, as a matter of fact poses as more of a hurdle for girls
rather than helping solve problems[7].
Many other disadvantages of uniform have been discussed in other available
literatures found on the internet but the issue of gender stereotyping will be
focused upon by the researchers. Let us take a deeper look at these problems.
III.
Problems Related To Uniforms:
Gender Stereotyping
When you look around your
surroundings you see girls playing, studying, participating in sports, working
in companies and so on. So, it appears on the surface that women are given
equal opportunities and even some of the male population even considers that
they are being given “advantages” as when compared to them and they are doing
everything a male does in a society. But to bring it into your notice nearly
2.7 billion women are legally restricted to perform certain types of jobs as
compared to men all over the world. Even if they get into a job, they suffer
from various issues, be it about their appearance or be it discrimination
because they are the “weaker employee” in the office or even being sexually
harassed. According to a survey of 2018 it was found that 59 nations have no
laws on preventing sexual harassment at workplace. Moreover, 18 nations still
have laws wherein a husband can stop his wife from working[8].
On the other hand, referring to our
country that is India the recent census of 2021 shows a commendable change in
the sex ratio wherein the number of female children has increased as compared
to male children for the very first time in the country. Hence, we can say that
we have some success on the perilous issue of female foeticide in India. But
just giving birth to a female child and not killing them as an infant, while
not providing them with equal opportunities and education will anyway kill her
spirit of living.
Which leads to leaving behind the
issue of equality of genders.
This gender discrimination and
stereotyping is seen taking place even in educational institutions like schools
which should actually be the place free of confines of societal norms. Talking
particularly about the uniforms that schools assign to girls which most of the
times is a skirt. Many girls do not feel that skirt is a comfortable accessory
in a school especially when concerning sports. There are a number of problems
associated with a girls’ uniform.
First of all, talking about sports.
Skirt is definitely not the first piece of clothing that comes to our mind when
we want to go out for a run, then why are school girls forced to wear it? There
are many other sports activities that just cannot be performed with skirts.
This is in a manner restricting the ability of athletic girls since they will
hesitate to give their best fearing their modesty. It is impractical to run in
dresses and skirts. Added to that, these uniforms can be tremendously
unpleasant during summers[9].
Especially many private schools in the name of making a brand make students
wear fancy uniforms that are not necessarily comfortable for the girls. These
schools don’t seem to realize that they could keep gender-neutral uniforms and
still retain their design that can make a brand.
This imposes on the girl to be more
‘feminine’ and boys to be more ‘masculine’ so basically, these uniforms reflect
the way society sees women and men. This level of stereotyping can in fact only
be broken by work at the grassroot level which in this case would be the
schools, which is the first place where a child is introduced to such norms.
The dress code for girls is troubling
principally for the transgender students, they cannot be made to wear gender
specific uniform like the uniform of a ‘boy’ or a ‘girl’. This can pose as a
major problem for schools in the coming years, as many nations including India
have acknowledged transgender as the third gender of the society[10].
The accommodation of transgender students in the school in a way that makes
them feel safe and comfortable is very important. Gender specific uniforms are
posing a problem because there are no uniform guidelines or set of rules,
therefore, it is up to the schools to decide.
On top of having such uncomfortable
uniforms, there is a number of restrictions and rules that pile up on the girl
students as they advance to higher classes, their bodies become subject to
adult interest and surveillance. They are asked to wear stockings and cover
their skin to not be a ‘distraction’ to the boys[11].
In fact, a study from Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity
proved that teachers are more likely to censure girls for minor offences of
dress code violation and give them harsher punishment[12].
There was even a movement called #Iamnotadistraction regarding the same problem
that had become quite popular on twitter, more such recent instances have been
dealt with in more depth further.
IV.
Voicing Up Her Concerns
The data discussed above highlights
the deteriorating condition of women in our society and such gender discrimination
starts at a very young age when girls are constrained in specific types of
uniforms fulfilling the norms of the society. But there has been some
development regarding awareness and courage among the women in today’s era.
Such instance was recently seen in
the Balussery town of Kozhikode city in Kerala
wherein the girl students of the Government Girls Higher Secondary
School had protested against the uniforms assigned to them. The school in
Balussery is incidentally girls till 10th and for plus one and plus
two it is Co-Educational and here came the conflict and difference in the
uniforms which both the genders were asked to wear. Here, the boys used to wear
trouser and shirt which is quite more comfortable as compared to the uniform of
girls and the major contention the girls placed in front of the school board
was that, when they wear these shirts and trousers everywhere, why can’t they
wear it in the school, when the boys were allowed to wear the same. To this,
the school board didn’t have an answer and after some deliberations they came
up with ‘gender-neutral’ uniforms which is big step taken towards curbing of
gender stereotypes. The principal of the school R Indu, has said that the
impression was to give the girls the liberty which they wanted from a uniform
in which they felt uncomfortable. “We want to give them the freedom.
They are also free to wear full-sleeve shirts
if they want, and an overcoat. Anything which makes them comfortable will be
given priority.”[13]
Another such instance was seen in a government lower
primary school at Valayanchirangara in Ernakulam district of Kerala which
adopted ‘gender-neutral’ uniform where both the boys and girls have the same
three-fourth pants and shirts as their uniform[14]. Similarly, in 2014 and
2018, Ranni Government Lower Primary School in Pathanamthitta district and
Karyambadi Government Lower Primary School in Wayanad adopted ‘gender-neutral’
uniforms. The teachers, parents and gender campaigners point out that this
initiative taken up by these schools will gear up in bringing a tremendous
change in the mentality of the society where gender stereotypes exist[15]. Welcoming this
initiative, Sunitha P, a teacher at a government school in the capital city of
Kerala, said, “Introducing gender-neutral uniforms in schools will help boost
the confidence of students, especially girls. I have come across many instances
where the female students are considered secondary and often neglected. A
gender-neutral dress code will help in breaking those stereotypes, thereby
making way for a new revolution.”[16]
Such measures taken by these schools plays a significant role
in changing the attitude of not only the society but also the children at
large. As after this upgradation and implementation of ‘gender-neutral’
uniforms the schools have revealed that they were liked by a lot of parents and
students specially females and the intake of new students per year in these
schools have increased. These new initiatives will hence, influence the other
schools to have such kind of dress policy which will eventually help in
breaking the gender stereotypes.
a) Opinion of young girls from India
The researchers for better analysis
and understanding of such sensitive issue, have also asked for opinions from
various girls who have experienced such rigidity and difficulty while wearing
uniforms in their school days from various parts of India.
A girl from Uttar Pradesh stated that
from 1st
till 5th they had tunics for summer and shirt and trousers for
winters, while from 6th to 12th they had kurta salwar.
Adding onto that she expressed, “if boys are allowed to wear shirts and
trousers till 12th, how come it's indecent when girls do it? Besides, it was
really difficult for me to get hang of wearing salwar kurta because I was not
able to handle the dupattas well and it often distracted me. Especially in
sports, we had to take care of our uniforms more than our performance. Added to
it, were the taunts from the teachers if we were supposedly careless about the
width of the dupattas which really frustrated every girl.”
This is a clear picture of discrimination as to why a girl
has to wear salwar kurta in the same school where she had worn tunics in her earlier
classes as to when she has reached higher classes. There is no practical and
straight answer to this, but burdening girls with such rigid dress code at a
very young age distracts them from various other activities that takes place in
a school, because they have to be very cautious and careful about their
appearance all the time which is not the case with boys as they majorly have
the same uniform throughout their school life. This often makes girls
frustrated and angry because they are the ones who have to go through this
pressure which indirectly affects their academic performance.
A girl from Karnataka, stated that
they had pinafore
for girls and shirt with formal pants for boys as the uniform. Adding onto that
she expressed, “most
of the students travel in cycles, and formal pants aren’t the best to wear
while you are riding a bicycle but it's still far better than a pinafore. I am
one of the very few girls at my school who travels by a bicycle. This year, due
to covid our school reopened late so we weren't asked to wear regular uniforms
and were allowed to wear the sports uniform. In the next academic year, we'll
be asked to wear regular uniforms and I think it will be hard for girls to
travel in cycles with pinafore as our uniform. I think they should just let us
wear our sports uniform (like being done now) or keep the same shirt and formal
pants as uniform for both boys and girls.”
This is a serious problem which troubles a lot of girls.
There are lot of students in a school who ride on their way home, but for girls
this is also a task as riding a bicycle while wearing a pinafore is not only
uncomfortable but also a very difficult task to perform. Also, girls have a
fear of being followed by strangers whenever they are on road because of which
many of them avoid riding or walking on road and keep themselves enclosed
wherever they go. Out of many girls, some of them show courage to step out and
they are then pushed backwards due to these uncomfortable uniforms which
hinders such activity. One more thing can be noted from here that the students
specially girls, liked the environment of their schools during covid phase
because they could wear their sports dresses i.e., comfortable clothes than the
normal classes which shows their dislike towards the current dress code which
was followed.
A girl from Tamil Nadu, stated that they had pinafore from 1st
to 6th and salwar kameez from 6th till 12th as
their uniform. Adding onto that she expressed, “The issue with the pinafore
uniforms was that they were not as comfortable to wear especially during
Physical Education classes. Moreover, we had to take extra precautions and
ensure we wore bloomers beneath our pinafore to avoid an embarrassment in case
our skirt flies up and I often felt that it would have been a lot more
convenient to just directly wear shorts instead (like the boys were required
to) instead of draping ourselves with different layers of clothing (which were
mostly just uncomfortable).” Another girl from Madhya Pradesh, stated that from
1st to 4th standard they had to wear tunics then from 5th
to 7th the uniform changed to skirt and shirt later from 8th
to 10th they had to wear stockings too and in 11th and 12th
their uniform changed to salwar kameez. Adding onto that she expressed, “I've
had to change uniforms as my age increased as the uniforms were usually more
layered and covered as we grew older, and on top of that, it was very hard to
perform physical activities like running and playing kabaddi in skirts, it
would have been much more comfortable and stress free by having pants or
trousers like the boys did.”
Generally, the uniforms assigned to girls be it the pinafore
or skirts or the salwar suit, it is discriminatory because it is intended to prevent
specific types of women's clothing from being "distracting" to men.
Due to this, girls are moral-policed and disciplined a lot more strictly than
boys and this is visibly unfair. When girls do not adhere to the stringent
uniform guidelines, they are punished and body-shamed and blamed for
"seeking attention".
The major obstacle this uniform play is in the participation
in sports activities of girls as they have to be much cautious about the way
they appear and also these uncomfortable clothes hinder them from giving their
best at ground[17].
Girls tend to become ignorant of sports and that’s why there is very little
representation of women in sports of our country which needs immediate
attention.
Also, the two different types of uniforms laid out for boys
and girls in schools cater to the gender binary system and is not accommodative
of students who are gender non-conforming. So, gendered uniforms not only
reinforce patriarchal values but are also heteronormative. In the researchers’
opinion, although to an extent any form of obscenity should not be promoted but
girls should be given the freedom wear whatever makes them feel comfortable
keeping in mind the educational environment.
V.
Conclusion And
Suggestions
The debate over uniforms promoting
gender stereotypes is a never ending one. The Children today spend up to seven
hours of a day at school, and schools must be a place where strenuous activity
occurs on a daily basis. To make this possible, a comfortable, convenient
uniform is required. Female students will continue to encounter unequal
treatment and disparity as long as educational institutions insist on girls
wearing dresses. Hopefully, this research will shed light on a subject that has
been deeply integrated within the institution's walls for many years. Schools
should be an environment of learning and discovery, not of gender
discrimination, social indoctrination, or the creation or reinforcement of
stereotypical societal aspirations. The researchers firmly suggest that every
school or any educational institution who follow a dress code should have a
gender-neutral uniform. Some universities have and follow gender-neutral
uniforms, which not only empowers each and every student in the institution but
also give them a sense of equality which also complies with Art.14 and Art.15
of the Indian Constitution. Hence helps in breaking the gender stereotypes
which still exists in the society.