Naked Week vs. My Highschool Dress Code

 

How would you react if you saw a poster asking you to get naked with your peers and run around campus with them? Some people would laugh it off and others might snicker at how ridiculous the idea is. I for one, was excited by the opportunity. As a plus sized girl I try to be an advocate for body positivity and embracing yourself. It hasn’t always been easy and most days I still struggle with it. However, it’s been much easier since transitioning to college and being in a place that openly supports body positivity and awareness for issues with our bodies compared to being in a high school with a stifling dress code.

Looking back and reflecting on my high school experience, I find that I still hold a lot of resentment towards that period of time.  One of my biggest grudges has been with my high school’s dress code. The most annoying and pointless uphill battle of high school is figuring out what to wear in the mornings because you’re not sure what the faculty and your peers will deem appropriate for your body. Someone always had to make a comment, call you down to the office, kick you out of a classroom, or shove a ruler in a place they shouldn’t in order to measure the length or width of your clothing. This constant war made me feel burnt out, objectified, sexualized, and upset. I already struggled with my body image and so did a lot of my peers. The dress code made it so we had to fit standards that not everybody could fit into and that were uncomfortable to comply to. Clothes don’t fit everyone the same and aren’t made for all body types. Holding us to the same standards isn’t fair; I shouldn’t have to be uncomfortable throughout my day, worrying about changing my body to exist in a space that should be safe. No student who’s a minor should be subject to adults objectifying them because our clothes are “too short” or because there’s something showing that they deem inappropriate. The dress code degrades students and harms their positive body image, it reinforces societal beauty standards and creates a culture of self loathing and hate.

What I’ve experienced on campus thus far has completely contrasted my high school experience, and Naked Week really brought that to light. Instead of hiding my body in layers upon layers of clothing or trying to mold my body into something that’s deemed acceptable, I stripped down to nothing and ran screaming into the night. It was empowering. I didn’t feel objectified; I felt proud, brave, strong, and like my body was enough. This new stride of confidence is thanks to the safe space I’ve experienced so far and has shown up through my actions. This space, my campus, feels safe to experiment with my clothing and style. It feels like the time to take risks and see what makes me feel beautiful and empowered.  I can decide what to wear and whose comments I let affect me. I give out compliments and receive a few for embracing my style and wearing what makes me happy and confident.I can feel confident in the space I take up and comfortable in my own skin. Seeing my friends and peers participating in Naked Week makes me hopeful that their college experiences have helped them feel these ways as well.

Bodies are good in all shapes and sizes. Naked Week was a great reminder of how much we should love our bodies and that we don’t have to fit into beauty standards. It makes me wish I would’ve stood up to the dress code more often, but helps me accept that now is the time to reclaim my body. If you have the opportunity to, you should participate in Naked Week. You should take chances with your clothing and style by putting on what makes you feel your best. Learn to ignore or call out the people who tell you what you can and cannot wear or try to tell you how your body should fit into a space. It’s time to do the most rebellious thing you can do; reject beauty standards, reclaim your space, and live comfortably in your own skin.

• body positivity
• choice
• dress code
• Naked Week
• outfits
• plus size