Stripping away controversial images in yearbook photos takes us a step back
Digital edits to the Yearbook of Bartram Trail High School smear black bars or patterned cuts over numerous teenager's clothing on girls' chests. This hidden act presumably aims to prevent any potential division. When the books were published this week, the students discovered the unwarranted changes – allegedly carried out by an employee working as the Yearbook coordinator – prompting them to search for their photos.
Some parents and students voiced their concerns. "They tell my daughter that she should be ashamed of this part of her body and cover it up," a mother shared. In an interview with CNN, Tim Forson, Superintendent of St. Johns County School District, seemed taken aback by the situation. "It was never the intention to embarrass a student because of their clothing. Unfortunately, we've learned a valuable lesson about the importance of the process, and we've realized that intentions do not always lead to results," Forson said.
Perhaps it is time our educators learned this lesson too.
Many high school juniors regard the yearbook as a precious and unique keepsake. It offers a chance to recall academic achievements, sports victories, inside jokes, and the shared memories with friends. A physical documentation of one's high school year – a personal history. In this instance, it provides a snapshot of a broader struggle women have been battling for centuries: persistent mistreatment.
"The Yearbook coordinator made the decision to edit those photos based on her assessment that the women were not complying with the dress code," a district spokesperson said in an email to CNN.
Throughout the years, dress codes have been a topic of debate. Many argue that guidelines focusing excessively on girls' attire can perpetuate or even foster gender discrimination. The dress code at Bartram Trail High, a public school within St. Johns County School District, includes general regulations for boys and girls, such as a ten-centimeter max skirt length and a ban on bare shoulders. The student conduct section of the rulebook warns against "vulgar" and "explicit" attire.
In another section, spanning specifically for girls, the regulation against bare shoulders is reaffirmed, and they are warned against wearing clothes with "obvious or distracting" sleeves. The allowed amount of makeup for girls is also limited, while the list for boys is shorter. Particularly, the words "reveal" or "distract" are not included in the list for boys.
Clearly, there is a clear discrepancy, and this imbalance maintains a culture of blame-shifting. By penalizing intentional or unintentional offenders more, focus shifts away from those who perpetrate disrespectful or harming acts. Dress codes tend to emphasize what girls should not wear and explain why, leaving girls and boys to internalize the belief that every non-compliant girl is responsible for others' reactions.
In this mindset, a beautiful girl should cover her face to prevent boys from staring, and if she does not, she will be reprimanded. An absurd (hopefully) expansion of this logic would ultimately lead to a child who has been bullied accepting the excuse for the bullies – perhaps even justifying their actions, according to the Child's understanding that they were a distraction. "Wheelchairs should not even be allowed to attend classes; those who in any way stand out should make every effort to conceal their differences to avoid disturbing other students (as though teenagers are distracted just like a pinball machine)".
In some religious and cultural contexts, a woman who is not veiled is considered an impure woman. However, this is not the culture most girls at the Bartram Trail High School live in (notably, many girls can sit and be photographed in clothes later deemed inappropriate). Most American women do not believe they live in this culture – a culture that women have fought for centuries to gain power in.
But consider: these high school students are preparing to enter a society where women are in some ways more disempowered than they ever have been. The lingering pandemic has exacerbated the significant gender imbalance in roles, with some experts predicting that its effects could last for years. Experts suggest that worldwide, the majority of the victims of the drastic increase in domestic violence suffer at the hands of women much more severely than men after a divorce.
In particular, Covid-19 has led to millions of women leaving the workforce, leaving them economically disempowered once again by having to shoulder the bulk of child-caring and household responsibilities. Furthermore, roe v. Wade is facing threats. We are back at square one.
The digitally edited girls from Bartram Trail High School and their parents have grounds for being outraged – and we all should be, on their behalf and on behalf of women and girls everywhere. The excessively edited photos represent an intrusion into their bodies, at a time when they and their male counterparts should be learning to respect and appreciate them, not labeling them as temptations or burdens.
Censoring the bodies of women is neither fair nor effective in suppressing their sexual desires. Dropping veils in their faces doesn't eliminate attention from the (quite natural) youthful bodies of girls; instead, it may even amplify it. Forcing them to do so is a direct path to self-awareness and body shame. For many young individuals, this is a profound signifier of how little regard for women's autonomy and worth is held in the world.
No one surveying the yearbook now or in the future will be able to escape the realization that the bodies of women – the bodies of some women – are both in the spotlight and something to be hidden.
Is that the message we want to send? I cannot fathom how parents or educators might attempt to justify such actions.
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Inappropriate photo edits in the Yearbook contribute to body shaming. It is also unfair and, in all honestly, ineffective to suppress women's sexual desires through censoring their bodies. Covering up these parts of women's bodies instead of focusing on teaching boys to respect them – simply amplifies distracting attention to those same natural youthful body parts. Forcing compliance is a direct pathway to self-awareness and body shame.
For many young individuals, this signals how little respect women's autonomy and worth is considered in the world.
Allowing the censored body parts, instead of teaching boys how to respect them, will draw even more attention to them. Rather than arguing against the need to conceal women's bodies, parents and educators should be creating a safe and supportive environment where women are respected and valued – not objectified and demoralized. The overedited photos represent an invasion into their bodies, during a time when both boys and girls should be learning to respect and appreciate them, not view them as objects.
In incorporating the enrichment data, an understanding of body shaming and its impact on adolescents was intertwined. Body shaming has significant negative consequences on young people's self-esteem, mental health, and body image. An imbalance in dress codes may also establish a holding pattern, according to which the disruptors are punished over the objects of disruption, shifting the focus away from perpetrators of disrespectful actions.
Reviewing the term 'body shaming' had revealed that it is an act of intentionally belittling or ridiculing someone's physical appearance. Dress codes aiming to minimize female exposure and emphasizing what women should not wear contribute to body shaming by reinforcing the perception that women are susceptible objects rather than active individuals.
The solution, then, to encourage respect for women's bodies and promote body positivity, demands educators to combat outdated dress codes, foster self-acceptance, and teach media literacy. Additionally, incorporating diverse role models and safe spaces for students to discuss their feelings can help build resilience in the face of social media's pressure. By recognizing and addressing body shaming, educators can create more supportive environments, where all students are valued and respected.
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Enrichment Data:
Body shaming can be significantly harmful to young people's self-esteem, body image, and mental health. This does not just affect self-image but can have lasting impacts on one's overall well-being. Dress codes contributing to gender discrimination or promoting unrealistic beauty standards further perpetuate body shaming; however, educational institutions can take steps to challenge and eradicate such practices.
- Examine the Dress Code: Review your dress code policies to ensure they are inclusive and not promoting unrealistic beauty standards. Minimize or eliminate gender-specific dress code regulations.
- Foster Self-Acceptance: Provide resources and opportunities for students to cultivate self-acceptance, confidence, and body positivity. Encourage inclusive and supportive language in school communications and activities.
- Media Literacy: Incorporate media literacy education into the curriculum, so students can learn to critically evaluate the media they consume – particularly acknowledging differences between curated and uncurated images.
- Realistic Role Models: Introduce students to diverse role models who promote self-acceptance and body positivity – including guest speakers, books, or documentaries featuring different body types and abilities.
- Safe Spaces: Create safe and supportive environments where students can discuss their feelings and concerns regarding body image. Encourage open dialogue and provide resources to those who may be struggling with body image issues.
- Schools Play a Role: Institutional policies and actions shape the students' attitudes and beliefs about body image. Schools should embrace positive body image, challenge unrealistic beauty standards, and practice inclusive laws and communication.
