'Creepy' school demands 'front and back photos' of girls' prom dresses
A high school was branded 'sexist and creepy' after demanding 'front and back' photos of girls in prom dresses - or face being banned from the milestone event. Oxford High School in Alabama, America, initially requested that all girls attending prom submit pictures in their dress to 'reflect the best possible views' to ensure they meet 'dress code standards' in a Facebook post.
Meanwhile male students were simply told 'tuxedos or suits only' and that jeans, T-shirts, tennis shoes, caps and oversized clothing was prohibited. Bizarrely, it was also specified that 'no dirty dancing, no sexual acts or motions, no inappropriate public display of affections' were allowed.
Lizzie Buckalew believes the dress code is 'crazy' (Kennedy News / Lizzie Buckalew)
The school's letter demanding female students to send in pictures of them in their dresses (Kennedy News and Media)But after the post was flooded with comments from people slamming the school for the 'misogynistic' demands of its female students, the school appeared to backtrack and swiftly deleted the request.
Oxford High School said it regretted the confusion caused by the 'initial, unapproved guidelines' and that they 'don't require pre-approval of any attire' but that students must adhere to dress code to enter prom.
The original post read: "Prom Expectations and Dress Code.
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"Females: Evening gowns and cocktail dresses - No transparent material, no slits more than six inches from the middle of the knee, no dress length can be shorter than six inches from the middle of the knee all the way around (both front and back from the middle of the knee), no revealing necklines (armpit line) or back lines.
"Dresses may be sleeveless or strapless provided all from the armpit-line to mid-thigh are covered. No two-piece dresses with midriff showing will be allowed.
"All dresses must be approved by Mrs. [name redacted] prior to March 6 (No exceptions). Email pictures to [email redacted] of YOU wearing your prom attire - Front and Back views.
"Keep in mind that if approved via email and the dress doesn't meet dress code standards, then you will not be permitted to attend prom.
View of Oxford High School in Alabama, America (Kennedy News and Media)"Make sure that pictures reflect the best possible views. If you do not get pre-approved, then you will not be allowed to attend prom.
"Males: Tuxedo and suits only - No jeans, T-shirts, tennis shoes, caps, or oversized clothing. Top hats and canes will be allowed provided they are used properly.
"Dance: No dirty dancing, no sexual acts or motions, no inappropriate public display of affections."
After receiving hundreds of comments from the public blasting the school for being 'disgusting', 'ridiculous', and 'absurd', Oxford High School removed the post from their social media.
A former student at Oxford High School slammed the school's post and shared it with her close friend and fellow local Lizzie Buckalew, 29, who also branded it 'crazy'.
Lizzie, from Weaver, Alabama, said: "When I first saw the post, I thought 'it's got to be satirical' and it wasn't.
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"The dress code was pretty extreme. That school is known for being stricter on dress code, but I was even shocked they went as far as they did.
"When they said to 'email a photo of you wearing the dress' and to 'get the best possible views possible', I thought 'what?'.
"That was honestly the most concerning part - they're asking these young girls to send in pictures.
"For boys it was 'tell the dudes not to wear jeans'. That's crazy to me.
"In the South here, in the Bible Belt, people can be very small-minded. I'm not as conservative as a lot of these people down here.
"I wore a long dress to prom, it showed a little bit of cleavage, but good lord I'm a girl and I have breasts and it's normal.
"It's definitely a thing around here, but Oxford's more intense about it than other places.
"I think if your mom thinks it's okay for you to wear, then you should be okay to wear it."
After their original post was taken down, Oxford High School shared a since-deleted revised post, stating 'our intent was to provide an opportunity for students to ask questions'.
Ashley Stilwell, Oxford City Schools' public information officer, said: "Last week, in an effort to provide students with ample notice and to avoid dress code issues that could potentially delay or prohibit a student’s entry to the prom, Oxford High School published guidelines regarding the dress code for the prom.
"Unfortunately, the guidelines that were initially posted were not routed through the appropriate approval channels and had to be rescinded as they were not an accurate reflection of the procedures the school will implement for this year’s prom.
"We regret the confusion the posting of the initial, unapproved guidelines created. The school’s official, approved guidelines regarding the prom dress code have now been published.
"The approved guidelines do not require pre-approval of any attire, including prom dresses, but make clear that students must be in compliance with the dress code in order to enter the prom."
People commented on social media blasting the school's initial post.
Ryan Lankford, from Des Moines, Iowa, saw the post after a friend shared it online.
The 46-year-old said restrictions weren't just 'sexist' but also 'creepy', and despite deleting their original post, didn't believe the school planned on changing their policy.
Ryan said: "It just all seems so creepy to me.
"Requiring teenage girls to send selfies to adult administrators if they want to attend the school dance? Something just rubs me wrong about that.
"When I first read it, it kind of made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
"I don't know about that specific area, but I live in a pretty deep red, conservative state in Iowa and that policy would be considered creepy even here.
"Even though it's been taken down now, I think they're still going to do the same thing.
"They might just try to make it more palatable, or do it quietly."
One user commented: "Wow this is creepy."
Another user wrote: "Sending in pictures is absurd. They know the dress code.
"If they show up and see a violation, deal with it then. Keeping a catalogue of minors like this is actually really creepy."
A third user said: "Why doesn't the [school] want pictures of the 'males'?"
One more added: "Y'all might as well have them in nuns outfits at this point."
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