Should Colleges Be Able to Ban Cross Dressing?

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/17/college.dress.code/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

This is an old story from a few years ago, Morehouse College banned cross-dressing because uphold a certain image of the "Morehouse man", which apparently they saw men in womens clothing as being a contradiction of. Some felt it was unfair to the transgendered, who feel they have their own image standards to uphold. Should colleges be able to ban cross-dressing, despite the possible presence of pre-op transgendered students who don't feel comfortable in clothing typically associated with their natural gender?

Let's get this straight, this is college, meaning there's drugs, binge drinking, wild parties in the dorms, God knows what sexual things occuring between the coeds, but men looking feminine is such an abomination?

Any institution that's private can set whatever dresscode standards that I want but banning crossdressing I think is a missed opportunity to get their student body acquainted and accustomed to dealing with transgendered people who DO exist in the real world and in progressive workplaces. Isn't that the whole point of college? To get students ready for the workplace?

Ah but you forget college is an extension of school and school is not a place where you go to learn about the real world, it's a place where you go to sit down, shut up, don't ask any questions, and they will feed you all the answers that they pull off the top of their head.

Supernova wrote:Ah but you forget college is an extension of school and school is not a place where you go to learn about the real world, it's a place where you go to sit down, shut up, don't ask any questions, and they will feed you all the answers that they pull off the top of their head.

Oooooopz Lost my head there for a second! Forgot colleges only act progressive.

RobbieFTW wrote:Any institution that's private can set whatever dresscode standards that I want but banning crossdressing I think is a missed opportunity to get their student body acquainted and accustomed to dealing with transgendered people who DO exist in the real world and in progressive workplaces. Isn't that the whole point of college? To get students ready for the workplace?

Who do you know that is cross dressing in the workplace? Of course there are people in the workplace to do cross dress outside of work, but most people ain't doing that shit at work. When you're at work, you are to maintain a professional look. That goes for anybody who is staight, gay, transsexual whatever. I highly doubt going to school where they don't allow you to cross dress means you're 'missing' out on anything. And then at Morehouse of all places? LOL, okay.

Nystyle709 wrote:
Who do you know that is cross dressing in the workplace? Of course there are people in the workplace to do cross dress outside of work, but most people ain't doing that shit at work. When you're at work, you are to maintain a professional look. That goes for anybody who is staight, gay, transsexual whatever. I highly doubt going to school where they don't allow you to cross dress means you're 'missing' out on anything. And then at Morehouse of all places? LOL, okay.

I don't get the "and then at Morehouse of all places" line, but I agree with you otherwise. If there is a dress code one should abide by it.

I'm gay and I'm all for freedom of expression, but my biggest question is, if you go to an all male school, why would you want to wear a skirt and heels to class? If one is "transgendered" they wouldn't pick an all male school to attended as biological females would not attend that school.

Supernova wrote:Ah but you forget college is an extension of school and school is not a place where you go to learn about the real world, it's a place where you go to sit down, shut up, don't ask any questions, and they will feed you all the answers that they pull off the top of their head.

Basically you're going to "see what they know," to quote George Bailey.

Ideally, I do believe it's within their rights to ban cross dressing.

Ugh. Sorry, but the premise of this objection to Morehouses' dress policy is largely futile. First of all, why would a transgendered female even want to enroll at Morehouse anyway? They have a psychological association to the female gender, are likely to feel more a socially bonding kinship with women, and frankly would be out of place amongst an all male student body. The bottom line here is that every private (keyword) institution has an outward image that they seek to preserve, and therefore dress codes that students are expected to observe. Anyone who has a problem with these stipulations should look elsewhere for their scholastic education. This university isn't the only one for miles and miles. There are others that are more liberal and accommodating to persons who absolutely can't acquiesce to these conditions.

Furthermore it's silly and idealistic to suggest that by eliminating cross dressing that the attendees of Morehouse are somehow not being prepared, or taught tolerance, for transgendered people in the real world. That's like saying that by not allowing women to attend, students aren't being reared (or getting additional tolerance training) in how to properly communicate with the female gender. Some things are common sense, and others are just expected…sensitivity training or not. You don't have to touch a lighted stove to know that it's hot. One doesn't always have to be exposed to someone who is blatantly different to know what common decency in dealing with other people means. If these guys go on to work for decent establishments, then chances are they will be expected to show respect to other people (whoever/whatever they are) they come in contact with as a condition of employment.

I have no qualms whatsoever with Morehouses' dress policy.

tmontyb wrote:

Nystyle709 wrote:
Who do you know that is cross dressing in the workplace? Of course there are people in the workplace to do cross dress outside of work, but most people ain't doing that shit at work. When you're at work, you are to maintain a professional look. That goes for anybody who is staight, gay, transsexual whatever. I highly doubt going to school where they don't allow you to cross dress means you're 'missing' out on anything. And then at Morehouse of all places? LOL, okay.

I don't get the "and then at Morehouse of all places" line, but I agree with you otherwise.

Morehouse is not the place to try and experiment with cross dressing. Try Berkely or somewhere.