I think many students at Lake Wales High School Can agree that our school needs changing. I may not be able to bring back H2H, bring back Ms.Dunson, or take away the rules of ID badges; but I am able to start small: dress code. 

Many females, as well as males, at LWHS agree that there is a severe lack of consideration for female students. I don’t pay any mind to the polos, but the khakis have to go. First of all, khakis are not cheap by any means and, believe or not, they are not sold at very many chain stores (Target, Kohl’s, etc.) making them more difficult to access than jeans or dress pants. Secondly, it is very rare that I see khakis that are not cut with the same style as skinny jeans. Almost all khakis have a tight-fit cut. This is a problem. They are not only too tight, but they are extremely uncomfortable. It hinders the learning of myself, as well as many women, due to the fact that we are more focused on the discomfort than on the lecture. Not only this, but it also creates a financial problem. People grow. We don’t stay the same size forever. We gain weight. If our stomach grows a tiny bit, we need a new pair. All of my khakis from last year no longer fit me. It is also not at all uncommon for women not to have a thigh gap. This means that our thighs rub together when we walk. If we wear khaki shorts, the friction of our skin rubbing against itself creates irritation and often times, inflammation. If we wear khaki pants, because the material is so thin, when we walk the fabric of the inner thigh rubs together and eventually tears. Due to this, my khakis end up lasting me about two months. Let’s say I buy 3 pairs of khakis for the week. There are about nine months of school. That is purchasing at least 27 pairs of khakis. That is extremely expensive. 

Another problem females are facing, aside from the discomfort and financial burden, is the fact that there is zero consideration for the female reproductive system. At a typical school without a uniform policy, while on her menstrual cycle, females can choose to wear dark coloured pants. But here, we don’t have that option. We must wear light coloured khakis, leaving us to be slaughtered by the humiliation and bullying that is already a large part of high school culture. 

Things need to change. Now. I feel that men do not have to deal with the struggles that women must face, nor are they held to the same standards as women. This needs to change. I’m not saying that you MUST allow us to wear whatever we please, but when you decide to redesign the uniform policy, take your female students into account! Even black dress pants would be an improvement. I’m not saying that you HAVE to change the dress code. But address the issue. Acknowledge it. And if nothing changes, then I guess a certain culture has been established at Lake Wales High School.