Brand new tank and denim shorts
By Katie Snell
Brand new tank and denim shorts,
But do I wear them?
Am I distracting?
Society tends to blame women for distracting men,
Simply because of the clothes they decide to wear.
I
Should
Not
Have to censor my self-expression,
Which might I add,
Is a right given to me under the Constitution,
Because a man supposedly can’t censor his thoughts.
It is simply not my responsibility
To cater,
To purifying my peer’s brains.
Dress codes.
They oppress freedom of expression.
They label all men as dirty-minded,
And train society to think that men can’t help but be distracted by so much as an exposed thigh,
Because they clearly “can’t help it.”
Dress codes.
They blame girls for other’s inappropriate thoughts.
If it is my fault for distracting boys
With my jean shorts,
Because I provoked these thoughts,
Is it then my fault if I’m assaulted wearing the same jean shorts?
Dress codes.
Middle school age children,
Yes, children,
Are being taught that
Boys can’t help themselves from sexualizing girls,
And girls are to blame because of the way they dress.
Dress codes.
They are the things that are
Inappropriate,
Distracting,
And offensive.
Women deserve to dress freely,
Men deserve to dress freely.
I deserve to wear my brand new tank and denim shorts,
Without questioning my self-worth.
By Katie Snell
Brand new tank and denim shorts,
But do I wear them?
Am I distracting?
Society tends to blame women for distracting men,
Simply because of the clothes they decide to wear.
I
Should
Not
Have to censor my self-expression,
Which might I add,
Is a right given to me under the Constitution,
Because a man supposedly can’t censor his thoughts.
It is simply not my responsibility
To cater,
To purifying my peer’s brains.
Dress codes.
They oppress freedom of expression.
They label all men as dirty-minded,
And train society to think that men can’t help but be distracted by so much as an exposed thigh,
Because they clearly “can’t help it.”
Dress codes.
They blame girls for other’s inappropriate thoughts.
If it is my fault for distracting boys
With my jean shorts,
Because I provoked these thoughts,
Is it then my fault if I’m assaulted wearing the same jean shorts?
Dress codes.
Middle school age children,
Yes, children,
Are being taught that
Boys can’t help themselves from sexualizing girls,
And girls are to blame because of the way they dress.
Dress codes.
They are the things that are
Inappropriate,
Distracting,
And offensive.
Women deserve to dress freely,
Men deserve to dress freely.
I deserve to wear my brand new tank and denim shorts,
Without questioning my self-worth.