Arahan Datta, Class III, and Eve Kagami, Class III
“I swear I am always burning in my khaki pants in 80 degree weather… I’m exaggerating, I’ve only experienced two Septembers and one June at TBLS. However, this was enough for me to realize something: TBLS needs to have an all-day shorts option, at least in 75+ degree weather.” – Arahan Datta, Class III
At Brooklyn Latin, where every student is required to wear uniforms, all students regardless of gender have the option of wearing both khakis and skirts. However, it’s noticeable that female identifying students are more comfortable wearing skirts, because skirts are considered to be more “traditional” feminine clothing. Even if male, nonbinary, and other gender identifying students want to wear skirts, many of their parents or guardians could be against it. While they do have the choice, it is made to seem more applicable than it actually is, for several reasons: the individual might not feel comfortable stepping out of their comfort zone, or may fear the fact it wouldn't be seen and welcomed as socially acceptable. However, this fact leads to an issue for those individuals. Not having an appropriate gender neutral option for warmer months for male identifying students limits them to two unfavorable options; wearing long pants that make them uncomfortable or wearing a skirt. Thus, it’s come to our attention that this school needs more appropriate gender neutral outfit choices — such as khaki shorts.
It is understandable that there are concerns around the prospect of implementing khaki shorts into the school uniform: Firstly is the argument that khaki shorts are inappropriate or do not align with school values.. And the further argument that people would find ways to abuse this privilege, and show up wearing different colored shorts. To combat this, couldn’t the school implement regulations around the shorts as they do with other uniform items? After all, we are told to wear a tie with the button downs — and if we don’t, we’re sent to the uniform closet. The potential protocols that could be made if khaki shorts are implemented aren’t unrealistic. It could be (but not limited to) the following: must be khaki colored and knee length.
Furthermore, having a gender neutral clothing option seems as significant and as much of a basic human right as other facets are — we have gender neutral bathrooms, so why can’t we have khaki shorts? While in the winter we may not be considering appropriate clothing for spring and summer, when that time actually comes, many students start to complain as they experience the heat.
This was an issue that was also brought to the student senate, but no word has been heard since. Is this a case that could be solved before the winter ends? The timer is ticking as the warmth of spring is only a few months away.