A Christian “school” kicks out an eight-year-old girl because she doesn’t dress or act girly enough. Literally. Word for word. They said she defied “biblical standards.” Oh right, all those parts of the bible that say girls have to wear dresses; I remember those. Geraldine 7:4 was it? Mirabella 22:15? Angelina 9:7?
“You’re probably aware that Timberlake Christian School is a religious, Bible believing institution providing education in a distinctly Christian environment,” a letter from Timberlake Christian School’s principal said.
According to WSET, the letter said that school rules said that students could be banned for “condoning sexual immorality, practicing a homosexual lifestyle or alternative gender identity.”
“We believe that unless Sunnie as well as her family clearly understand that God has made her female and her dress and behavior need to follow suit with her God-ordained identity, that TCS is not the best place for her future education,” the principal wrote.
How exactly does the principal know that any particular kind of dress or behavior “follows suit” with Sunnie’s identity as female? What does he think he’s talking about? Does he seriously think “God” demands that girls were early 21st century US dresses in order to conform with their gender identity? How does he know “God” doesn’t for instance prefer Elizabethan dress, codpieces and farthingales and all? How does he know “God” doesn’t prefer simple tunics for both sexes? How does he know “God” gives a shit either way?
I know the Book of Geraldine is used by the Church of What’s Happening Now but could you tell me who uses those other two books?
Egad, I’m old.
He’s right about one thing – this probably isn’t the best place for her to get an education (no one else, either).
busterggi
The devil made her do it.
And I always though God made people nude. It was SIN wot made ’em wear breech clouts (or whatever)
Androgyny is bad, mm’kay? Because if you can’t tell what sex somebody is, how can you tell whether to treat it like a person, or try to copulate with it?
I mean my God! I can’t even tell whether I should compliment hir appearance, or tell hir zie’s strong and smart!
The only people who are allowed to tell you what not to wear is Clinton Kelly and Stacey London.
A Masked Avenger, I both want to compliment you and copulate with you!
But that aside, I was raised Evangelical Christian, and when we lived in Switzerland, my mother was still in full-on crazy mode and I was forced to wear dresses to school. Even when it was bitter cold, with two feet of snow on the ground, all the other girls were sensibly wearing pants and there I was – in a stupid dress with torturously itchy, scratchy woolen tights. Turns out I was allergic to wool, too.
Even after we moved back to the States, she’d still go out and buy god-awful horrible dresses and make me wear them to school occasionally. I was bullied because of that – thanks, Mom. Regardless, I always wore shorts under skirts and dresses – I always felt unsafe and vulnerable wearing skirts/dresses.
To this day, I almost NEVER wear a dress or a skirt.
So…this will age me. But until my junior year in high school, girls were not allowed to wear pants. Skirts or dresses only. And this was a lower-to-middle-class public school system in Ohio.
The dress code was modified one absolutely frigid January — coldest day ever. Except that was also the day that the National Honor Society was announced. The only girls wearing dresses that day were the girls who made NHS — their parents were SOOOO not letting them wear trousers on stage.
In this instance — I have to point out that the men in biblical times didn’t wear pants. They wore tunics — which look pretty much like a dress to me. So, technically speaking, aren’t the boys the ones who are being non-biblical?
And doesn’t “biblical” behavior for girls include milking the goats and whacking the soiled tunics on a river rock?
But — their school, their rules. Lots of private schools have dress codes. Some public ones as well. Though I doubt the child will be harmed by finding a less rigid learning environment.
That’s why I wondered how they know “God” doesn’t prefer tunics, in the post.
Sure, their school their rules, but we get to point out how shitty some rules are (and there are some potential rules that they’re not free to impose). We also get to point out how shitty and naïve their reasoning is.
Serious question: What kind of “learning” goes on in these schools? How are they even allowed to operate while practising gender-based discrimination? Could someone please enlighten me on whether there is a law (or laws) that would allow and/or condone this violation of this student’s civil rights?
What concerns most is not that this particular girl is excluded, but that there are other children still at that school. I shudder to think what kind of “education” they’ll be getting.
Deuteronomy 22:5 forbids women from wearing men’s clothes and men from wearing women’s clothes, but doesn’t get around to specifying what those might be. I can only assume that since the Bible’s standards are invariant and for all time, that we should be restricted to wearing whatever was fashionable in bronze-age days.
When do standards apply? Pants were originally unsexed clothing, and only “recently” became something specific to men. Are girdles specific to women or does the fact that they make girdles for men make them acceptable now? How am I supposed to know if I’m violating god’s rules or not? HOW?
What are these “so called parents” teaching their kids, that’s its ok to exclude those that are different, discriminate. Did Christ exclude Mary Magdalene, no he did not. This tomboy should be sought out and brought back into the flock and accepted with all her differences and judge not by her looks, but by the content of their character. I hope the school and parents are not judge as they have judged others, when their time comes.
In my state, at least, employers are allowed to have a different dress code for men and women. My employer doesn’t require dresses or skirts for women, but it implicitly forbade men from wearing them by requiring either a suit or slacks and an oxford or polo.
On the plus side, when a male employee started wearing Utilikilts, the dress code wasn’t enforced, and the new version basically eliminates the dress code, saying only that everyone must dress “professionally.” There are surely some sexist assumptions underlying the subjective determination of “professional,” but it’s a step in the right direction.
Anyway, yes, dress codes are allowed, in many parts of the US at least, to differentiate between men and women.
@#5 Masked avenger
LOL, and perish the thought of doing both, because who respects the people they fuck, amirite?
I remember when a young Christian girl explained to me that if men respect you, they don’t want to fuck you.
Me: But you want to get married.
Her:Yes!
Me: …and you plan to have sex with your spouse?
Her: Sure!
Me: For the rest of your life he’ll no longer respect you and you’ll no longer respect him because you fuck and like it?
Her: No, it’s different when you’re married.
Me: Sure it is.
I was married at the time.
She should grow her hair long hair and wear a frock and open-toed shoes – like Jesus.
Well whaddayaknow! Some god-botherers said something that is absolutely true!
I can only think of Eddie Izzard’s response in regards to someone askin him about his tendency toward skirts and dresses: ‘They’re not women’s clothes. They’re my clothes. I bought them.’
I want to know what a woman is doing as principal of TCS???
No no no, all that’s allowed is fig leaves. If it was good enough for Adam and Eve, it’s good enough for the rest of humanity. Besides, we all know God is the universe’s biggest voyeur, right? He’s always watching you.. and you…
I’m really glad they kicked her out. Maybe now she can get an education in a decent place