Students Making Statements of Youth with T-Shirts

Friday 04th of February 2011 02:59:29 AM

Students Making Statements of Youth with T-Shirts

We live in interesting times, and t-shirts and sweatshirts are in the middle of the fray. There are school dress policies at most USA schools, and the intent of the policies is to maintain a certain decorum and insure students are not harassed by other students. But when you place limits on teenagers they will work very hard to find ways around the rules. That is where t-shirts enter the picture.

Some schools have very strict dress codes whereas some are more tolerant. In the more tolerant schools, students often tend to do some gender bending. Teenage boys may try to wear typically female colors or patterns or teenage girls will dress like boys. Some students are ready to be openly gay in high school too and not wait to show sexual preference as an adult. The problem arises when schools try to maintain traditional dress and students claim it is discriminatory.

T-shirts have always played a role in teenage dress. But in gender bending dressing, it can send a whole new message. For example, at a school in Marion County, Florida, a male student wore a stuffed bra and a V-neck t-shirt. There is also a fashion style called “emo style” that is becoming mainstream. A classic example of elmo style is a boy wearing body hugging black t-shirts, very heavy eyeliner, fingernails polished with a dark color, and dyed black hair. The emo style is not a strictly gay fashion, but many teens employing this style are considered to be gay.

Dress codes in schools cause both students and teachers much heartache at times. Teens just want to explore their individuality while teachers want to maintain a studious atmosphere in the school. And at the heart of it all is the t-shirt. How it’s worn can send a very clear message.