Morehouse bans 'women's garb' for male students
College's new 'appropriate attire' policy sparks controversy

Oct 23, 2009  |  By: MATT SCHAFER

http://www.sovo.com/2009/10-23/news/localnews/10758.cfm

In Morehouse College's attempt to better define the next generation of black male leaders, the college has refined its dress code to specifically prohibit its all-male student body from wearing female attire.

In a memo, Morehouse President Dr. Robert M. Franklin Jr. wrote that the dress code encourages students to dress in modest clothing similar to business or business-casual attire. The new policy specifically prohibits sagging pants, decorative dental "grillz," "clothing associated with women's garb" and caps or do-rags worn indoors.

The policy reads, "No wearing of clothing associated with women's garb (for example, dresses, tunics, purses, handbags, pumps, wigs, make-up, etc.)."

Metrosexuals beware.

Will there be underwear checks?

I just went to the blog that's linked at the bottom of this article--Sandra Rose's blog. It's amazing how dogmatic the comments are about who should be able to wear what. I mean, seriously, do these people not know that the gendering of clothing is purely arbitrary and varies from culture to culture or historical period to historical period? Why shouldn't a guy wear a dress? Who effing cares? And the stray comments about what women should wear and where all the homosexuals are coming from...yikes.

I shoulda stayed in bed this morning.

Arch, I agree that some of the comments on Sandra Rose's blog bothered me a whole lot more than the article. As for the colleges decision to ban 'inappropriate garb' I think it would be best served with a bit of education regarding LGBT awareness and sensitivity for faculty and students. Atlanta has a very large LGBT community as well as a large African-American population. A lot of progress has been made in the realm of diversity acceptance here, but as a bubble in the 'bible belt' there are still a lot of people who are vocally and physically against the 'gay community pushing their lifestyle on everyone' and going around dressed like women.

I think one of the comments on that blog was something to the effect that gays are acting more like women than women do and that when they dress like women, they are just guys badly dressed like women and that is wrong. (I'm paraphrasing a bit) There is also a fair bit of hostile (bordering on violence) attitudes towards gays and transgendered, though I didn't see the term used even once in those comments or the blog entry itself.

If a large institution like Morehouse has 5 students who are creating this problem, wouldn't it be easier/cheaper to sit down with them and discuss what the schools expectations are? Oh and we're coming up with a policy to deal with the trans and gay issue for next year, we'll have to learn about it first.

Sorry, just annoyed at the moment. Not complaining clearly. (heads off to corner to fume)

Deanna

i have never worn garb in my life, male or female

Quote from: Pica Pica on October 23, 2009, 01:05:56 PM
i have never worn garb in my life, male or female

So, Pica, I guess you don't have the gift of garb.

na, but i'm full of Blarney.