I don't feel like it would benefit boys at all to be required to dress as girls. I think it was pointless and definitely unnecessary for learning about history. It would have been a better idea to have a few students volunteer to dress up rather than having every student do it.
However, during a specific event such as a fashion show celebrating women's fashion, I don't see that it's actually degrading or harmful. It's not like they're requiring them to dress as women for school every day... THAT would be weird.
Seriously... women dress as men all the time, during plays and that kind of thing. Would you call that degrading? Probably not. It's dressing up and playing a part. This isn't so different.
I understand that it's a little easier for women to cross over and blur gender lines, because they don't have the same rigid ideas about being feminine that men do about being masculine. But that doesn't mean it'll kill them to wear girls clothes for a few minutes. During Shakespeare's time men played all the parts, including women, because it wasn't seen as fitting for women to perform on stage.
I see why it would have been a little iffy to have boys dress as girls in this situation. But I definitely wouldn't call it degrading. I really don't think it would have traumatized them for life or anything. It's clothing, not hormone injections or something.
Most Helpful Opinions
I have to agree with Carla..
It's okay to 'be' a man, but being a girl is gay. It should be wrong either way. The only reason it isn't okay for a guy to do the same is because almost EVERYONE.. Yeah, not just men, believe females are the weaker sex. You know it true and it's perfectly fine for you to say that's your reason for hating it so much.
By the way, Knowitall, the only reason you aren't at home learing how to cook and sew or getting sold off into a marriage-- Or because you can VOTE-- is because of Fems. So, if you hate freedom for your own sex, just go to a place where you'll get your head chopped off for trying to divorce your abusive husband. Don't worry, we won't mind. ;D
But, I get why you're upset about having no say in something. Kinda.
Ugh, I hope this helped. Lol.. ^ ^;
Cookies and Milk,
STM~
complete BS.. I hate feminists
That sounds like child abuse to me.
Look, I'm for equal rights. I'm for equal pay, I've for an end to domestic violence. No means no, as does lack of yes. I'm for the women's right to education, to health care, to basic human rights (in some countries/cultures) and to not be treated like property.
I'm ALSO for equal rights, meaning that men should be treated with respect. I'm sick to death of "all men are bastards". Or a woman getting a job to 'correct numbers'. I'm also for breast cancer awareness for MEN (men can get it, but it's often treated like a women's problem, right down to the information pamphlets and logos).
As for this specifically, why should guys have to wear women's clothes to understand them? What utter nonsense. Does this mean they'll have 'strapon' day where all the girls have to wear a strapon and urinate standing up?
You're actually exaggerating the situation. First off, it was only a Third Grade classroom. The project was intended to be a lesson on the types of different outfits worn by women throughout American history by creating their own dress of a specific timer period, it was never to promote crossing-dressing. Secondly, the letter given to parents had been interpreted differently, despite that it even stated that the boys did not have to wear the actual dresses, meaning it was all just a mishap of confusion.
link
What Girls & Guys Said
Opinion
30Opinion
First I highly dout this actually happened...I am sure some parents didn't let their kid do that
2nd I would royal f*** that school over if my kid went there...come womans day he would show up in daniel boone outfit in furs and skins with a gun and my other boy would e a texas ranger.
see how they like that fashion...as brad paisley says man...im still a guy :PIt's interesting that tomboys are accepted but if a boy dresses like a girl it's degrading, because on some level boys think girls are less. That said, no, I don't think this is a good idea. I'm not sure how you got feminism out of this exercise, that's just the belief that boys and girls should be equal (nothing less, nothing more) and clothing doesn't have anything to do with that. I also don't know how transgendered people came into play, studies have revealed that cross-dressing isn't a homosexual activity but is shared just as much by straight men and men of all orientations. I agree this was a nonsensical exercise but I must question what truly offends some people about it so much.
Of course it's a stupid move. Quite frankly I don't understand how the idea was even brought up. A board meeting or something?
Principal:You know, we really need to celebrate Women's History Month.
Teacher:I have an idea!
: And that is?
Teacher: Let's make everyone dress and girls for a fashion show!
Principle: That's brilliant! Force the boys into a situation where they'll surely be laughed at while enforcing gender rules that women only love and care about fashion! Surely there's truly no better way to appreciate the role women have played in shaping history!Its all a part of the freedom of expression allowed by society for girls, later women (and female teachers). While this usually entails more verbal and even slight physical abuse of Male children, knowing society will look the other way. This I suppose is just a jump up from feeling more empowered by lack of support for Male children; their continued ability to mistreat Male children; and now the media that is modeling that is perfectly acceptable to abuse Males, even Male children. It's the extreme combination of protected freedom of expression and action by women and allowance of harm to Males.
Yeah, forcing it on people is definately wrong. I dislike our polaristic grouping for gender - being told your a boy from your birth on, essentially, just cos you have a penis. I don't dig that.There's more than that, I mean, its all hormones. And I dress like a girl, I've dabbled in transvestism, lah-de-dah. But I still don't think forcing it on kids is cool, man. If they want to, f***ing let them. The kids in my mum's nursery always wear the dresses and stuff in dress-up play stuff, hahaha. I love it. But I mean, if they feel uncomfortable with it, don't MAKE them.
Although for this, I gotta say, if your gonna let them choose, f*** the parents on this occassion. Kids gotta make this decision, you know?In highschool we had spirit week, and mon-fri leading up to homecoming we had a certain thing we had to do. and we used to have cross-dressing day till some guys took it too far. and whatever grade you are in, it counts toward points at the end of spirit week. and at the end whoever had the most cumm. amount of points wins. Now the only thing you win is bragging rights so I never cared to participate, and some people participated just because they get to do something they normally don't do. like twin day, cross dressing day. hat day because we weren't aloud to wear hats in school. and etc. but actually having kids do that for womens month is f***ed up, you don't see during black history month people painting their faces black if they aren't black already. some black people find that racist.
The erxercise itself is pointless, I don't see how kids would benefit from that. but if you think dressing like a woman is degrading, maybe you think being a female is degrading? Do you cross-dressers are 'lesser' men because they like to wear women's clothing? If you do, then there is something wrong with your values and the way you evaluate people...otherwise chose your words carefully if that's not what you meant.
I think if a guy can dress like a girl and still be comfortable with his sexuality as a straight man then that's great, it shows he doesn't need to prove himself to others so he's probably more 'manly' then someone who doesn't. I say embrace it, have fun and take the p*ss!
Wow!I suppose that would be fine,if it were completely voluntary,but never enacting a school policy to force anyone,that's wrong.The funny thing is that,I do have a sort of weird "thing"for guys who happen to dress "en femme",but they do it by choice(unless they want me to force them!LOL),and they are certainly adults,not still in elementary school.Talk about trauma!
Wow, you were required to dress like a woman?!?! That would have been SOO terrible. I thought the BP oil spill was bad but this, man, does it get any worse? And it most definately would have been degrading to look like a woman for once since women are obviously inferior to men. *sigh* People overreact way too much these days. By the way, I didn't mean to get so sassy I just had a frustrating day and I don't like people who whine :D
That is ridiculous. But if they insist, then in the interest of equality, they should have a day where all girls should dress like guys too, and on that day, they should totally go to a pool and swim.
If we weren't talking about an elementary school that would totally be worth dressing up like a girl once...I think the assignment is degrading to women too because it focuses only on women's fashion instead of the great things women did in history. What kind of a woman history day is this? It makes it seem as though women are only good for setting fashion trends. The whole idea is just stupid, too! If they were going to have a fashion show with women's fashions, they could at least make it so only guys who wanted to could dress as women instead of making it mandatory for everyone.
when I was in school I always was interested in why girlsdressed differently from boys. I wasvery jealous of girls I liked their kilt school skirts and knee length socks. I wish that things were different and that those boys who wanted to wear skirts and that were tollerated and girls who wanted to wear trousers could to. Iwould've dreamed that I was forced to take all my male clothes off and then dress in girls bra, frilly knickers blouse jumper a pleated skirt, white knee length socks and mary jane shoes, then had to attend school all day dressed like that. but it never happened...
They tried that at my school, I just sat down and refuse to participate. I knew they wouldn't punish me, because the headlines the next day would read "boy punish for not dressing like a girl". Most of my class decided to join me..
Sure they shouldn't be forced, but they shouldn't be condemned for wanting to either, which is a different subject.. In my opinion on this, however, if it is such a big deal to you then just skip the one day of school and think nothing more of it.
Educators have gone way overboard with there lesson plans. I think a lot of them smoke too much weed.
I read about this and that school is messed up, they are trying hard to brush it off now after many of the parents got p*ssed off. Rather than this one even I'd be concerned with the overall mentality of the people that run this school
yeh, I doubt that's a huge deal. as its elementary school, they hardly are making their own decisions yet. its still their parents telling them what to do. now if it was middle school and this was happening, there would be a problem
I would never cross dress, I would probally just skip school and if they asked why I would say because I'm a man and not ever going to dress like a woman.
Haha, that is kind of twisted. True, a stupid move by the school. Opposite-gender characteristics should never be "forced" on anyone, ESPECIALLY young kids. I could say more but I'll leave it at that.
Learn more
We're glad to see you liked this post.
You can also add your opinion below!
Most Helpful Opinions