While I can't believe we're still having the leggings-as-pants conversation, alas, here we are: a high school principal has come under fire for body-shaming her students for wearing leggings.
Hello Giggles reports that Heather Taylor, the principal of Stratford High School in South Carolina decided to use a new school year meeting about the dress code to tell 10th grade girls that, if they are bigger than a size 0 or 2, they "look fat," in leggings, saying that they shouldn't be worn as pants.
"[Leggings are] meant to wear underneath a long shirt that covers your heiny, or a long sweater of some type, or a dress. It is not meant to be your actual pants, and if you have a shirt that comes to here, then you are showing everything. Yes, everything," she reportedly said.
It gets worse. "The sad thing is with that, ladies — if someone has not told you this before, I’m going to tell you this now — unless you are a size 0 or a 2, and you wear something like that, even though you are not fat, you look fat."
Taylor's comments were caught on tape, and naturally, when word got around to Stratford High School parents, they were less than thrilled. ABC 4 reports that they took to the school's Facebook page to express their anger about what Taylor said, accusing the principal of fat-shaming and body-shaming their daughters.
"You're meant to be a public figure that young women can look up to, yet you make comments bodyshaming teen females? I'm disappointed but not surprised," one of the comments reportedly said.
Taylor has since apologized (sort of?) with a statement about her comments. "Yesterday and this morning, I met with each class of the Stratford High School student body. I addressed a comment made during a 10th grade assembly and shared from my heart that my intention was not to hurt or offend any of my students in any way. I assured them all that I am one of their biggest fans and invested in their success. After speaking with our students and receiving their support, I am confident that, together, we are ready to move forward and have a wonderful year."
She continued, "Stratford High is a very caring community, and I want to thank all of our parents and students who have offered their support to me and provided me with an opportunity to directly address their concern. I am very proud to be a Stratford Knight."
Can we all just agree to stop enforcing dress codes that unfairly sexualize young women's and girls' bodies so we don't need to keep having this conversation? LMK.
