Dictating a Doremus dress code?
January 27, 2016
One of the most prevalent media issues today is school dress codes. Administrators and defenders of such dress codes often insist that only students wearing clothing that is considered “disruptive, distracting, or unsafe” are asked to change or leave; what is troublesome is that a large proportion of these students are female.
I remember archaic rules such as the “fingertip” rule, in which shorts or skirts were not permitted unless they reached a student’s fingertips. If someone had told me during my senior year of high school that I’d still be dealing with these kinds of rules as a senior in college, I would have laughed in their face, but now that it’s actually happening I don’t really feel like laughing.
Recently, a slew of female students has been asked to leave the fitness center for “inappropriate attire,” a troublesome trend when considering the implications of such a designation.
What makes gym attire “inappropriate?” The obvious answer would be clothing that is “unsafe.” So, for example, clothing that is excessively loose and could get caught in a machine should not be permitted. The same goes with clothing that inhibits proper movement. Unfortunately for females, we also have to worry about another unsafe element: our bodies.
Although ostensibly everyone goes to the fitness center for the same reason—to work out—this recent trend of kicking girls out for attire that is too revealing shows that girls actually go to the gym for a different reason altogether: to not be distracting to men.
I’ve always been of the opinion that if someone notices what every Dick, Harry, and Sally is wearing to the gym they’re either a future performance wear designer or just really into brightly colored spandex. In fact, I’m pretty sure the gym is the one place where it is completely socially acceptable to be utterly self-absorbed. However, I will concede that there are the few, the chosen, who really stand out because of what they’re wearing.
For example, one of my most heinous memories of W&L was in the fitness center circa sophomore year, when I was in the middle of awkward mirror eye-contact with a boy who was doing some bicep curls. When he bent over to pick up a dumbbell his bro tank slipped a little more than intended. He was so embarrassed that he scurried away with at least a couple more sets to go, the poor thing.
His attire consisted of one of those slit down-to-there bro tanks that, incidentally, are now banned from the fitness center. However, if snap stories are any indication, guys are still going to the fitness center in those tanks and still not getting kicked out.
Meanwhile, girls are getting the boot for wearing tops with scant cutouts that don’t show nearly as much skin. What does this say about the supposed objectivity of this dress code?
Girls, and W&L students in general, have more to worry about than what they’re wearing to the gym. Policing what we wear because it makes the policer “uncomfortable” or is supposedly “distracting,” says, like many baseless accusations, so much more about the accuser than the accused.
Lifter • Apr 13, 2016 at 2:03 pm
I have recently gotten back into the gym after being fairly self-absorbed in pledging a fraternity. I am sure I am well known to staff by now, I’ve been asked to leave or change at least three times this school year as a freshman. Each time I was wearing the same workout shirt I’ve worn for 3 years in high school and now college. It’s your typical cotton t-shirt with the “revealing” arm holes cut down below the elbow mentioned by the alumni above. Most recently the actual director of the gym asked me to leave or change into one of the shirts the gym provides for people like me. He cited the fact that others in the gym seeing the sides of my abdomen was, and I quote, “gross and disgusting”. This upset me a bit because this is my body he’s talking about here. I pressed him on what the actual policy read. He told me sleeveless shirts could be cut no lower than the elbow. Okay fine. Why? When I asked him this is stuttered and paused to think. I guess no one ever decided to stand up and not get bullied and actually ask the all-important question. After an awkward 5-6 second pause he finally told me “increased skin exposure led to the spread of skin ‘disease’ within the gym”. What?! Six extra inches of my abdomen showing on the side of my body will spread skin disease to others in the gym? Are you kidding me? What about the 8 extra inches of skin exposed on a girls leg compared when I wear knee length shorts and she wears shorter shorts? I have zero problem with a girl wearing spandex shorts, I’m sure no one else does. To my knowledge, skin on the legs touches more gym equipment than the side of someone’s abdomen. What is the standard for how much skin exposure actually causes the spread of skin disease?
To summarize I don’t think it’s a sexist issue as I’ve been kicked out many times as well, I just go when the people working at the fitness center are not “dress code Nazis” and I workout in peace not bothering a soul. Not once has another person actually working out in the gym said, “hey you’re making me uncomfortable, would you mind wearing something else?”. Second, personally, whether there is a rule or not, if you can’t articulate the reasoning for a rule why should I follow it? If the best you can do is make up a story about skin disease then you don’t need to be running a fitness center my friend and you need to rethink the “standards” of your dress code. The tuition is way too high at this school for a fitness director to prevent students from attending their own gym due to a dress code rule that has nothing to go on for reasoning but the threat of a spread in un-substantiated “skin disease”. To speak on the girls getting kicked out for outfits being too revealing, if you aren’t publicly exposing yourself and your clothing isn’t a safety hazard, why can’t you wear that tank or workout top? This school recently hosted some kind of naked walk for sexual awareness month where you were encourage to show off your body and do a walk or something. To me that’s more damaging to society then working out in comfortable workout attire. Just my two cents. Liberal progressivism at work friends, even here at W&L. Sad to see.
Alumni employee • Jan 29, 2016 at 6:19 pm
I graduated recently and worked at the Fitness Center while at W&L and would like to weigh in. Of the years I worked there, very rarely did I have to ask someone to change into different attire because their clothes were inappropriate. And when I rarely did have to ask, it was almost always men wearing shirts with huge armholes. While these rules may seem arbitrary to some, they are for safety reasons. For example, you must wear sneakers or you could hurt yourself when you drop a weight. While this article says it is just for vanity reasons, it is not, and the line must be drawn somewhere.
If this article was more researched and actually interviewed Fitness Center employees, the community might get a better picture of the situation. And please, do not say the policy is sexist, there is absolutely no evidence. The Fitness Center staff work hard every day for the students, faculty, and staff to have a great place to work out!
Lavern • Apr 23, 2016 at 11:36 am
I go to the gym in Calgary regularly and witness people wearing all types of attire. Much of it is revealing and never disturbing or concerning for health or safety reasons. For staff to ask for females to leave because they reveal a little too much mid section or too much back skin or whatever is ridiculous. I think that is a archaic concern over the human body and only creates insecurities about a person’s body image when criticized for it.
I have seen many women wearing skin tight leggings and small tank tops which resemble a bikini top and it certainly got my attention but never viewed it as inappropriate. The women involved clearly felt confident in their skin and in most cases were clearly fit, strong and healthy. That is the true depiction of the human condition that should be encouraged in a gym setting.
I am more concerned with the muscle brains that continue to drop weights or refuse to put safety clamps on the ends of barbels to prevent weights from sliding off. In my opinion there should be more attention to these type of serious safety issues than whether a woman wears something that reveals her body.
Gymgoer • Jan 29, 2016 at 12:24 pm
As a guy and a W&L athlete, I and numerous other guys have been kicked out of the gym for wearing sleeveless shirts that barely open below the elbow. I don’t think this is necessarily a discriminatory policy towards women, but more just a stupid policy in general. If it isn’t a safety issue I don’t see what the problem is. Who cares if guys OR girls are wearing questionable gym attire looking for attention. Let people stroke their ego if they feel the need to.