Why oh why do we keep having conversations about school uniforms? I am confused why there is such an issue about this, a uniform is a uniform surely?
Back in the day my friend Emma and I petitioned the Head Master of our secondary school to allow the girls to wear grey trousers. At the time girls were only allowed to wear knee-length, grey, box pleat skirts but these were both uncomfortable and impractical, especially in assemblies where we had to avoid the rain dripping through the ceiling of the dilapidated sports hall while sitting on the floor. Why, we reasoned could girls not wear trousers when every other aspect of our uniform – white shirt, striped tie, grey v-neck jumper, black blazer – was exactly the same as the boys? He relented and from then on girls were ‘allowed’ to wear grey trousers should we so wish. Would he have had the same reaction the other way round? Boys wearing skirts – I very much doubt it.
I think the uniform debate is so incredibly simple. There are elements of clothing that make up a uniform. Pick the ones that you are comfortable in. Wear those items. It doesn’t matter whether that is a skirt, trousers, shorts, shirt, tie, jumper. If it’s listed in the ‘uniform’ why does anyone care if it is trousers or a skirt or whether you are a boy or a girl. To me, a uniform is a uniform whichever elements you choose to wear and whoever you are.
Simple as that.
Photo by ROBIN WORRALL on Unsplash