Many girls look forward to the prom during their high school years, and the dress is one of the most important parts of it. That is why when Gabi Finlayson, a 15-year-old high school student, got her dress together, she couldn’t wait to wear it. She even had it altered because the school district had a very strict dress code.
The prom dress met with the dress code and the straps were at least 2 inches wide. Her cleavage was covered. The moment that she walked through the door, however, she was embarrassed by the school representative.
She was told to “cover-up” and return to the car. She had to wear a bulky winter coat over her dress for the rest of the evening.
Gabi didn’t stay quiet on the subject and her mother gave her full support. She felt the school was sending a bad message to both male and female students.
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15-year-old Gabi Finlayson was thrilled when she found the perfect dress for her upcoming high school dance.
She bought the dress on a family vacation in Paris, so it held a particularly special meaning.
Gabi has always admired Audrey Hepburn. She felt her new pale-pink lace dress emulated the actress’ graceful and iconic style.
Gabi took extra steps to ensure the dress wasn’t at all inappropriate for a high school dance.
She had the dress altered, going so far as to take the underlaying bodice up higher so that it was covering as much skin as possible.
Gabi attended Lone Peak High School in Utah. The school’s female dress code for dances is stated on their website:
“Formals, backless dresses and/or tops may not extend beyond the bottom of the shoulder blades. Girls’ dresses and tops must have a 2″ minimum strap on each shoulder. Shawls, boleros and other shrugs are acceptable if worn over the dress at all times. Cleavage covered.”
The straps on Gabi’s dress were at least two inches wide.
It was a “girl’s choice dance” that night, which meant Gabi was able to pick the boy she wanted to go with.
The stage was set for an unforgettable evening.
But the second Gabi entered the dance, a school representative hurried over to her and asked her to “cover up.”
Gabi was shocked and humiliated. The representative ordered her to go back to her car and grab her jacket, as her shoulders were too exposed.
For the rest of the evening, Gabi’s dress was completely covered up by a bulky winter coat.
Gabi’s mother, Kristy, was also outraged. She says it is ridiculous for the school to suggest that shoulders are in any way pornographic.
“The message that it sends to girls is really troubling and damaging, and they’ve already got so many damaging messages being sent to them,” she told KUTV.
Gabi notes a lot of other dresses that were tighter, shorter and more revealing than hers – yet those girls were not reprimanded for their outfits.
“Somehow my shoulders are sexualized. Like it’s my responsibility to make sure the boys’ thoughts are not unclean,” Gabi told KUTV. “Maybe instead of teaching girls that they should cover themselves up, we should be teaching boys that we’re not sex objects that they can look at.”
Via: Little Things
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