Are boys distracted by our clothes?

Question

I remember an incident when I was in 7th grade.

I lived in a very hot climate at the time, and everyone wore short-shorts (even though it was technically against dress code). I was a goody two-shoes for a long time and didn’t wear shorts, but finally I gave in and put them on, since nobody else was getting called out.
Feeling much more comfortable, I went to school and avoided a heat stroke! However, halfway through the day an announcement came over the intercom:
”not_a_queen, please report to the office.”
I went, wondering why I was being summoned to the gates of hell (aka the VP’s office).
Apparently, my shorts were “inappropriate,” “distracting,” and “broke the dress code.”
EVERYONE ELSE WORE THOSE SHORTS. SOME WERE SHORTER THAN MINE.
But, because I was not an anorexic stick, I got in trouble. Having an ass is a crime, apparently. I distracted someone (probably a male) to the point that my body had to be covered for his sake—even though it was 110 degrees (Fahrenheit) out and people regularly got heat stroke or other heat-related injuries. I felt ashamed and objectified, and (to this day) I rarely wear shorts outside of my house.

Similar incidents have happened to other girls. Oh, she’s wearing a tank top that bares her shoulders? WHAT A CRIME!! Look, that young woman with a larger cup size and a waist happens to be wearing a tight shirt? GET OUTTA HERE!!!

So, guys, is it really that distracting? Are you unable to learn and function at school if a girl wears form-fitting clothes? Should women have to cover their bodies because you guys just can’t handle it? Isn’t that insulting to both girls and guys?

Food for thought 😋

xHoneyxBeex · Accepted Answer

I'm sorry you experienced that and it had such an effect on you. Your comfort and health should come first. If it's THAT hot outside, I don't blame you for wanting to wear shorts to school.

I can honestly see both sides of the argument for school dress codes. On one hand, obviously we don't want kids coming to school with ALL their skin and intimate areas exposed but some schools take it too far. When I was in high school, girls couldn't wear tank tops or shorts above the knee. They also didn't want girls to wear shirts that were "too tight" which I think is ridiculous, especially for girls who have a larger chest and may have problems finding shirts that aren't tight in that area unless they wear a potato sack. 😒 In my opinion, as long as your butt and chest are covered, it shouldn't matter if your shorts go above the knee or if your shoulders are visible.

Schools use the excuse that it's "distracting" to guys but I feel like that's just taking personal responsibility away from guys and placing it on girls. Girls at school are not responsible for a boys education. If a guy can't focus on school and learn because he's too distracted by a girls shoulders well, frankly, that's his problem.

Anyway, I know it's easier said than done but don't let those people get to you. I hope you'll be able to be more comfortable and secure in your body to wear shorts again in the future. No girl should feel like she has to sacrifice her own comfort to not "distract" or "offend" other people. Other people are entitled to their feelings but you can't live your life to make others happy. So while being in school with a dress code does suck and you can't really fight that, once you get out of school, you should wear what YOU like and what YOU feel comfortable in. Period.

shelbyr1721 · Accepted Answer

I think the biggest thing that bothers me is when they’re not consistent. I didn’t usually wear shorts, but I would every now and then in middle school. Most of my shorts were maybe an inch above the tips of my fingers because that’s legitimately the longest ones I could find (that didn’t go down to my knees). Still, my shorts were longer than most all of the more popular girls’ shorts and I got in trouble every time, even wen they didn’t. When they finally did get in trouble, they just changed into athletic shorts that were the same length or shorter and that was more okay for whatever reason. I just.. it frustrates me when there’s so much inconsistency. I understand having a dress code for both sexes on a school campus that may differ in some ways. I don’t mind covering up. But I ask for fairness in the sense that all girls should be coded for the same issues

dancing_in_nebulas · Accepted Answer

I had to vote c. It was funny.

Same here. No short shorts. I wore a skirt that reached my knees and had to change because on of the boys said my "ass was bodacious," obnoxiously outloud. This is when Nelly's "its gettin hot in here" was popular so he even sang it like the song

I was 15 so of course we teens aren't supposed to be sexual in anyway. Boys are going through changes as girls are, so those filling hips, growing butt, and new boobs can totally distract them.

Nexovous · Accepted Answer

"Do you think girls, at school, should get in trouble and have to change because guys can’t keep from staring at them?" meh, I don't know about trouble though i think if it's that big of a deal then ya something should probably be done to at very least control the behavior of the boys because they're at school to learn. Now, the most obvious solution would be to limit the clothing a woman can wear to school. Of course this isn't really fair per say. Tough shit though because life in't fair nor is it meant to be. The boys can easily control themselves if they would put some damn effort in though you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. You can easily ensure a new policy of attire is in place for the school though and that can solve the problem. Considering society woman are the sexualized of the two in a public manner and men tend to be more or less into physical attraction more than woman so that said at 15 this would be more so a natural reaction to more skin that gets them going. So you can't really reprimand the guys in this situation or not so much from an educational view. I know this seems 110% one sided and it pretty much is given the situation. When you break the factors down it would solve the problem in a less problematic way if woman were to be restricted in clothing as well as men and have punishments put in place for breaking the rules set when attending the school. So punishment is more or less required to a degree. First offense i couldn't imagine.

Dreamwalker101 · Accepted Answer

It's absolutely your choice to wear whatever you like, men should have enough self control to not be bothered by it. That being said Men Don't wear short shorts, they survive the temperatures just fine. So you have to ask yourself if there is a line between function and appearance. If there is no line. Then it stands to reason that anyone and everyone should just walk around naked if they like. If you disagree with that statement, then you agree that there is a line that can be crossed. That line is determined by societal norms. Sure you can argue your personal preference, but I think the general societal expectations are determined by the majority. The lesser of all inconveniences.

So... Ask yourself, would you still feel cool if the bottom of your ass cheeks weren't visible to everyone? Would you be okay if men walked around displaying themselves?

CowboyKamp · Answer

I don't think I have ever been so distracted by a womans clothes that I couldn't actually focus on anything else. That being said dress codes should be universal within a certain degree of reason. One thing that I have run across often is men can't wear sleeveless shirts while woman can wear sleeveless or even strappless tops.

Another, which incited a protest at our school was men couldn't wear basketball shorts but girls could wear dresses, so when it was the end of the year and hot AF in the school a bunch of guys wore skirts.

ShortCircuit · Answer

I won't lie, it can be "distracting" in a sense--but not to the extent that it interferes with my studies in the least. Quite frankly, if that were the case with someone, that would be HIS problem.

Regardless of how distracting it may or may not be, it isn't fair to restrict girls' clothing to the point that it makes them physically uncomfortable in warm weather--especially when the restrictions aren't even enforced equally, such as with your case.

Quite frankly, I think the notion of dress codes being in the best interest of boys and helping them to focus on their studies is a facade. It's really just a puritanical power-grab.

Average_but_not_Joe · Answer

It's fine, but like everything else in life, there's limits. Saw a woman walk past me on college campus once. She had a really big shirt, and it looked like nothing else. Until she bent down and I realized that she was wearing REALLY tiny shorts that were completely covered up by her long shirt.

(Yes I was staring. In my defense, I was staring because I was wondering if my eyes really were seeing what looked like a woman walking around in public with no pants)

I mean seriously, parents bring their kids onto campus. There are even tours for elementary kids to come see the college!

Like I said, everything has limits. I would be saying the exact same thing if it had been a man I saw that day that looked like he was walking around without pants

OHPOORBABY · Answer

Maybe the fact that you were a goody goody made you more distracting got that in fact the teachers that called you in will probably masturbating to you in the Teachers Lounge LOL

AL2000 · Answer

When I was in high school when girls wore clothes like that or revealing or regular tops either it was very distracting for me despite trying to concentrate. Flirtations and prolonged gazes could get the guy in trouble. One incident involved a sexy junior classmate wearing a regular tank top that read "mean people suck, nice people swallow". Teacher summoned her to the principals office and they made her change clothes but she didn't want to. She was making jokes out of it and the teacher was irritated and classmates laughed.

How about trying that on around the boys art your school I of course had self control then as I was much too shy to make it obvious. Yes short shorts weren't allowed, neither are low cut tee shirts and anything else thats tighter. Skirts cannot be above knee length either. Sexual tensions shoudnt belong in school and I believe what the other poster said that all schools should have genders segregated

Greatcat · Answer

we are talking about school, it's an environment meant for learning. In some schools they make men wear pants too, so this does go both ways. In any case, there are things that you can wear to keep you cool that aren't incredibly revealing. Look to hot parts of the world, what do women wear? You know those balloon like pants, the one's that are really thin and have lots of air in them? They wear them in india or parts of arabia I think. I forget what they are called but those will keep you cool while not showing too much skin to distract the young boys.

It's my honest opinion that schools just be segregated based on gender and we can avoid this problem entirely. Private schools do this for a reason, it's a lot easier to focus on work without the opposite sex nearby

damoM · Answer

You were a child at the time and required to adhere to a dress code. It's an important lesson for a discipline level required in the work place.

And i totally doubt you were the only one called upon. Others would have as well, just to tell them to get stuffed because they aren't risking heat stroke for a dress code.

In fact, even your claims that heatstroke was common is ludicrous. I lived in hotter weather up northern Australia and never experienced it even in 53* Celsius heat. Neither did anyone else, because we stayed hydrated

LightSoul2 · Answer

I'd be lying if I said no. I can be distracted but only a little bit. Not so much that it would interfere with my studies. If a guy considers this as a big issue then it's just HIS problem. Why should anyone sacrifice her own comfort just because you can't keep your thing in your pants. It's like freeing guys from their responsibility and throwing it to girls. I can't imagine why a girl wearing shorts or a girl wearing tank top that bares her shoulders or a girl with a larger cup size and waist wearing a tight shirt etc etc would be so much distracting that it wouldn't let guys focus on their studies. Well being in a school with such restrictions does suck and you can't really do anything about it. Once you get out of school, you should wear what you want to.

RationalMale · Answer

Here's the thing.
Yes.

Hot women dressed revealingly are distracting. It's like if the werewolf from Twilight New Moon or Strippers from Magic Mike strolled around shirtless.

You're going to find that being an attractive woman is basically a god damn superpower. Flip side is you'll have to dress modestly sometimes. It's a worthwhile trade off, so suck it up.

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David456 · Answer

I think woman should not be forced to anything. But, school and work places do have dress codes and those codes should be followed. To answer your question: are men distracted by short clothes, yes we are, we are visual by nature and are hardwired to look at woman. I agree men should not be perverts but it is true it we do get distracted and it makes a difference by how you dress. Even if a man does not want to he will look at you in that way by natural instincts but a gentleman controls his instincts. but a good number of people don't.

reventon4 · Answer

In Texas they call them hot pants. Every guy is different, but here is what I look at when checking out a girl, ranked in order:

1. Looks
1. Hair Color
3. Apparel, revealing boobs is a plus
4. Posture/voice/temperament/smile
5. Nail polish

Irishguy209 · Answer

Your argument is a paradox, that's why. Women can't wear what they want or they're objectified, and it's a problem because it's NOT equal, yet at the same time it's human male nature, and exactly what it is, natural. I think our schools need to do a better job engaging our students, and maybe finally wear a uniform?

kiroslop778 · Answer

While you do make some good points in your backstory to the question, the options to answer are completely biased towards your feelings.

This being said, I myself know that you got singled out due to a terrible ENFORCEMENT of the rules, instead of bad RULES. It's important to know what the difference is. Whether you were (or anyone else) is breaking a dress code is a different problem that you/they have to resolve before going to your place of work.

Anonymous · Answer

College summer school
2 drop dead models/students showed in class with 2-piece swim suits
no comments made

K-12 is a different matter, always been that way in USA

I wonder if your shorts had an inch or two longer legs it might be OK
since there's no report on the VP discussion as to what/why
or if it was just your sexy ass, all by itself... which still shows in long pants?

Voluptuous gals can be distracting even at work when mature & married
Single guy drafting table trying to work, married buxom gal wants to talk every day and she's rests her breasts top of his elevated table while doing so until he has to excuse himself, so distracted can't work, so asks the boss what can be done = boss tell her not to talk & bother that guy so much thereafter

imnotdead · Answer

Dunno man, sure I feel weird around girls wearing booty shorts and tank tops because it's hot but that because it's me and I'm not used to females. It's not insulting but I feel like it really tells you how big of a person you are depending on how you percieve or react to it

JJ81212 · Answer

I mean, it is kind of distracting but not like my life is at risk because of that, for example when I'm in the gym and the most marvelous ass in history of mankind gets in the way between me and the mirror I OBVIOUSLY have to look, but I don't lose the tempo, rythm or sequence of whatever it is I'm doing, so no, you shouldn't stop wearing any of those, but you also shouldn't expect to go unnoticed though

system73554 · Answer

It shouldn't matter if someone's outfit distracts anyone. They can get over it like anyone ellse needs to learn to do.

I'm of the school of thought if men can have a shirt off so should women be allowed too, and if women have to wear a top, so should guys.
If we are going to get equal let's go for it all out.

askmeeanything · Answer

Anyone that says it is inappropriate is over 35 years old and is in their own little Society of covering things up! Like a parent or teacher figure it is totally false as being distracting if a gentleman cannot concentrate without looking too much then he has the problem not you! And I totally believe that men and women can wear whatever they want providing there is no nudity! It is what creates our identity

jdrrichmond · Answer

Yes. It's distracting, but it's not your fault that men are horny hounddogs. I just hope you're not offended that men look. We really can't help it sometimes.

worldscolide · Answer

It's not a distraction. But dress codes don't exist because girls are a distraction, they exist to prepare you for what work is going to be like, I mean you wouldn't be practically naked In an office would you? I doubt it.

Are boys distracted by our clothes?

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