Last week, a Texas middle school’s decision to ban its students from wearing head-to-toe black because the look is “associated with depression and mental health issues” went viral. The drastic measure has not only sparked a backlash, but also a conversation around school uniforms; a vexed issue in Australia, where they are compulsory in most schools.
There are many reasons school uniforms are implemented, says Dr Victoria Rawlings, whose research at the University of Sydney focuses on the connections between gender, sexuality, youth and social structures.
“In terms of identity, some argue that having students wear the same clothing can contribute to a sense of school identity and patriotism,” she says. “Beyond schools, they can be used by members of the public to identify where kids are from in case something goes wrong.”
But are uniforms the great equaliser many people assume them to be? According to experts, it depends.
Advocates for uniforms believe they make differences in socio-economic status between students less obvious.Credit: Getty Images
Do school uniforms aid equality?
Advocates argue that wearing a uniform instils a sense of belonging in students, as well as masking socio-economic differences.
“It can reduce peer pressure to be super-trendy or wear something really expensive,” says Dr Catriona Davis McCabe, psychologist and president of the Australian Psychological Society. “There can be bullying related to socio-economic status, which can lead to a lot of stress for young people.”
But things aren’t necessarily that simple.
According to Rawlings, while uniforms mean students don’t need to consider what outfits they need to invest in each day, there are still many ways class can be put under the microscope. Shoes, backpacks and accessories can all reflect socio-economic status, especially when uniforms themselves can already be some of the priciest school items, with private school uniforms costing upwards of $700 annually, if not more.
Uniforms connecting students
The uniform’s role in fostering belonging has also been queried, with some studies suggesting that kids who wear uniforms report lower levels of school belonging than those who attend schools with no uniform requirements.
A study by Ohio University in the US also found that uniforms have no impact on better social behaviour or school attendance. In fact, Australian research has found that alternative education systems, like Montessori schools, which do not have uniforms, report fewer discipline problems and student suspensions than other schools.
Uniforms, especially in the case of girls, can also lead to less physical activity on the playground or feeling uncomfortable while sitting on the floor, says Rawlings.
“Girls are worried about their dresses moving in ways that will show their legs or underwear,” she says. “School uniform policies most often hurt students who are the most socially or culturally marginalised in contemporary school environments, or in our context more broadly.
“Research from Australia and abroad indicates that school uniforms not only homogenise the school body, but also divide and hierarchise it,” she adds.
While some schools are updating their uniform policies to be more gender-neutral, others still have strict rules that leave girls less comfortable than boys.Credit: Getty Images
An unfortunate magnet for harassment
When most people think about school uniforms, they probably don’t consider that for many young women, and some boys and gender-fluid youth, street harassment began or became more frequent when they started wearing one.
Associate Professor in Criminology Bianca Fileborn only realised how widespread the problem was while looking more broadly at people’s experiences with street harassment over the course of their lives.
“I didn’t set out to look for it – the issue emerged throughout interviews I did with women and LGBTQI+ people on street-based and public harassment,” she says. Curious, the University of Melbourne researcher decided to delve deeper, and found extraordinary things.
“Women told us that they first started experiencing harassment from men in primary school,” she says.
When they told teachers at school, many recalled being shamed, punished for wearing “too short skirts” and told it was their fault for attracting attention.
“One woman was told she was a ‘paedophile’s dream’ by a teacher, and other girls had their skirt lengths measured,” Fileborn said. “I don’t see the length of boys’ shorts being an issue.”
The broader sexualisation of school girls and school uniform – as represented in pornography – is a real issue that continues to influence many girls’ lives, especially if there is no alternative to a skirt.
“A uniform has to have some choices,” Davis McCabe says. ”Some students can feel controlled when they have to wear a uniform, and it can bring out a sense of resentment or rebellion, especially if it’s strongly enforced.”
She adds that schools need to give students space to experiment with their identity and self-expression through clothing, which is developmentally important.
“Uniforms can be a good thing, but they really have to be thought about in terms of choice, physical comfort and health,” she says.
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