I am a 13-year-old girl who, is believe it or not, affected by the current school dress codes that target girls like me. The constant judgment we face about our clothing choices are not only unfair but also incredibly disruptive to our learning environment. Questions like "Are her bra straps visible?" are NOT the questions we should be dealing with at school. Questions like "What's the square root of 162?" should be the questions being asked.

The school environment should be a place where we can focus on learning and building our futures, not a place where we are shamed for our bodies. If a girl feels comfortable and confident in her own skin, isn't that something we should be encouraging rather than shaming? Instead, girls are almost ALWAYS targeted to embarrassment and attention for their SHOULDERS. Boys show up to school game shirtless with "Go Tigers!" painted on their chests. Girls show up in thin straps or slightly uncovered stomach and it's suddenly a problem. Just because I chose my outfit like a "big girl" doesn't mean i'm asking for attention and boys to be distracted. Not my fault if i'm attractive! Just saying.

When schools interrupt a girl's school day to force her to change clothes or, even worse, send her home because her shorts are too short or her bra straps are showing, they send a very bad message. They teach girls that their education is less important than making sure boys have a "distraction-free" environment, basically placing the blame of boys behavior, on girls clothing choices. I get it if your shirt is where you bra should be, but an inch? You've got to be kidding me.

Instead of promoting a school that bosses around and shames girls bodies, we should be showing respect, understanding, and equality. By changing dress codes to allow clothing like spaghetti straps and certain crop tops, we can start to create a more supportive environment for all students.