Dress Coded

“She has her favorite targets—the bigger girls, the girls with boobs and butts, the prettiest girls, and the girls with long legs. Nobody has ever seen her stop a boy.”

Molly reflects on how “Fingertip,” the dean of students, routinely dress codes girls, particularly the ones with more developed bodies; on the other hand, she has never dress coded a boy. This observation justifies Molly and the other girls’ claim that the dress code is unfair toward them and unevenly enforced. This is what gives their protest legitimacy (See: Background).

“‘Now that the camping trip is canceled, can I just wear whatever I want?’ ‘Why would you ask for trouble?’ ‘Because I want to take a stand on something for once in my life.’”

Molly asks her mother if she can flout the dress code, since the class camping trip is cancelled and can no longer be held against the students. She wants to take a stand on something, despite having avoided conflict for most of her life, especially in her relationship with older brother Danny. Her choice shows that the dress code protest is not something she indulges in frivolously, which is also why her mother offers her full support.

“Within a week, half the neighborhood was stuffed into our little tree house, whipping up slime. We got fancy with glitter and food coloring. After begging our parents to let us make an Instagram page […] @TreehouseSlimeFactory was born.”

Molly remembers how her treehouse was once used to make slime with neighbors Will and Mary Kate. The treehouse is an important symbol signifying The Transition From Childhood to Adolescence. This quote shows that Molly has always been creative and inclusive, with a number of neighborhood children frequenting the “Slime Factory.” Molly’s use of social media to spread awareness about this space also foreshadows the podcast’s Instagram page—which gains both a following and reach.

“Megan will lag behind, not because of the way she walks, but because we will have sucked out pieces of her soul. It happens that way, Daisies. Trust me. It is possible to be cruel by exclusion.”

Molly reflects on the letter she would write to her first-grade Daisy Troop, urging them to be kinder to Megan Birch, a classmate who has cerebral palsy. She details Megan being left out of a face-painting plan prior to a field trip, which displays how cruel exclusion can feel, even when one is not trying to be unkind. Megan’s isolation highlights one of the challenges of the Transition From Childhood to Adolescence. Molly’s letter reflects on her past and reinforces her desire to make change: Over the course of eighth grade, she befriends Megan.

“‘Do you think two inches of fabric makes a difference with boys? It’s not going to determine whether I can concentrate in math class or not. Give boys a little credit. We’re not wild animals.’ ‘Some of you are.’ ‘Yeah. I guarantee that has nothing to do with what girls wear.’”

Molly and Will discuss the dress code, and Will asserts that girls’ clothing does not determine a boy’s attention at school. Will’s indignation that boys are assumed to be “wild animals” is an example of how such patriarchal ideas like those that underlie the dress code discredit boys and shame girls.

“The worst part was that while Couchman was so focused on not disturbing the boys’ learning with our distracting shoulders, I missed my first math quiz. Dern wouldn’t let me make it up, and I got an F. It was the first and only F I ever got.”

Jessica details her experience with dress coding, in which she missed a math quiz while being called to the principal’s office. This experience shows how the dress code, which is intended to safeguard students, often does the opposite. Not only is Jessica blamed for being a distraction to boys, but her own education also takes a hit. The enforcement of the dress code clearly prioritizes boys’ learning over girls’ in such instances.

“‘What’s going on with Ashley?’ Navya asks. ‘Why? What do you mean?’ ‘She told Bea she thinks the podcasts are annoying and she can’t believe we made an Instagram account to complain about the dress code.’”

Molly and Navya discuss Ashley’s attitude regarding the podcast and dress code protest. Ashley and the other girls clearly have different value systems, as the former comes from a wealthy background and seems disconnected from the reality of other students. For example, she can’t comprehend the fee for the independent camping trip being expensive. This difference in perspective affects her approach to the protest and her friends’ involvement. Ashley is disinterested in the dress code issue and begins to drift apart from Molly’s group because of it.

“He studies the note. ‘What is this?’ He looks confused. Megan smiles defiantly. ‘Those are all the words kids have used to describe me.’”

Megan writes a list of cruel names that other children have called her, and when Mr. Lu confronts her about passing Molly a note, Megan explains what the list is. Megan’s defiance is admirable to Molly, as she has ample experience and advice on how to deal with bullies.

“People from other towns are posting their own pictures. #DressCoded for too much thigh. #DressCoded for having shoulders. #DressCoded for being a mammal. This is so much bigger than Fisher Middle School.”

Once Molly starts an Instagram page for the podcast, it takes off. People from other towns post pictures with the related hashtag and respond positively, proving that the dress code issue is not a local one. As Molly later implies in the letter she imagines writing to Dr. Couchman, the issue is not about clothes, but the ideas that underlie the dress code and its enforcement.

“I did what he asked because I wanted him to like me. But he never actually liked me. He let me get in trouble. He didn’t say a word. He used me. I’ll never have my fountain brother.”

After Molly’s mother finds Danny’s vape pods in Molly’s closet, she is grounded; she doesn’t tell her parents the truth for fear that they will relocate, and that Danny will continue disliking her. Danny remains silent and lets Molly take the fall for him. This incident, coupled with Will’s encouragement, helps her realize that she should stop covering for her insensitive brother. She ultimately comes clean to her parents, an indication that she is growing more assertive.

“‘Deeds, everyone,’ Violeta’s mom says. ‘That’s how we remember our babies. Go forth, make your voices heard, and do good.’ Chills run through me.”

Molly hears the mother of a deceased veteran speak on Memorial Day. She is inspired by the woman’s words about taking action and making one’s voice heard, especially since she is currently protesting the dress code.

“Be brave. If you can take the blame yourself without dragging others down with you, definitely do that. Never apologize. Figure out who your allies are. Record it for later.”

Molly lists rules to follow should any of her friends get caught protesting. She follows these rules herself when she is reported for putting up posters in school. Her bravery in taking the blame alone, not apologizing, and recording and sharing her conversation with Dr. Couchman all point to her growing confidence.

“After school, Ms. Santos-Skinner chases me through the crowd to the bus area and hands me a white trash bag. ‘I found this in the recycling bin,’ she says with a wink.”

Ms. Santos-Skinner, the guidance counselor, returns Molly’s posters. This helps Molly realize that, despite the principal enforcing the archaic dress code, there are still adults in the school who are on the students’ side. During the camp-in, Ms. Santos-Skinner and Ms. Lane, the language arts teacher, participate. It is Ms. Lane who eventually brings ex-principal Ms. Milholland, who proves instrumental to the students getting a board meeting.

“Nick needs his groupies. Without his groupies, he can’t be brave. He can’t be a bully. He can’t be anything but a twitchy little boy fake-reading in an empty classroom with a girl who is beginning to learn she has no more patience for twitchy little boys like him.”

As Molly and Nick serve detention together, Molly is struck by his silence, and realizes Nick is just as insecure as any other middle schooler, despite what he projects. This quote highlights two things: Middle school is a difficult time for everyone, from bullies to victims, as everyone is grappling with their identities, but Molly has no patience for bullies. She reflects on Nick’s behavior, but is not obliged to do more than this.

“My mom always says, ‘Don’t give them your energy.’ Because while energy is neither created nor destroyed, it can be transferred. She tells me that when they say awful things, it bounces off of me, and all the negative energy goes right back into the Nicks of the world. It’s simple physics.”

Megan explains her mother’s advice regarding dealing with bullies. Despite having been excluded her whole life—or perhaps because of it—Megan is certain of her identity and less affected by others’ opinions of her than the average middle schooler. This quote also highlights taking the high road, by not spreading cruelty or unfairness. Molly herself carries this attitude while protesting, doing things in a way that won’t harm others.

“You’ll work so hard every day to relearn everything. Well, almost everything. You’ll never relearn how to be cool. Ten months after your accident, you’ll invite the whole class to your birthday party. Your parents will rent out a movie theater and buy bushels of popcorn and buckets of soda. Only two kids will show up.”

Molly imagines a letter she will never send to Tom, in which she describes how he went from being “cool” to excluded after his injury. The contrast between the entire class attending Tom’s birthday party one year, and just two children showing up the year after his accident, highlights how one can be cruel by exclusion. Molly’s letters are a helpful narrative device, contextualizing other characters or incidents connected to the main story.

“They’re so excited to come here. It’s like they have no idea what’s in front of them. How stressful it is to have to look a certain way and dress a certain way, on top of all the other drama.”

Olivia watches the sixth graders on a tour of the middle school, which they will attend the following school year, and is moved to tears when she thinks of the gap between what they expect and reality. Her reaction is based on her own experiences with the dress code, especially the incident at the beginning of the novel. With the dress code targeting girls, particularly ones with more developed bodies, they are forced to grow up quickly, and often feel anxious or conscious about themselves. Olivia is mourning this sudden loss of innocence.

“Mr. Buechler told me to go to the bathroom and do something with my hair. I told him my hair wasn’t the problem. He said he didn’t like my attitude and sent me to the office. Dr. Couchman didn’t even talk to me. He just came out and told me I had detention.”

Talia, a seventh grader who recently transferred from Trinidad, describes her experience of being unfairly dress coded for her natural hair. Dress codes in American schools have been found to target girls, especially girls of color (See: Background). Talia’s experience is an example of this. Dr. Couchman’s response is also problematic, as he doesn’t bother to investigate her situation.

“We sit, Olivia and Pearl, Liza and Navya, Bea, Megan, my mom, Liza’s and Navya’s moms, and me. ‘What are we doing?’ Liza asks. ‘I’m staying,’ Olivia says. ‘We did everything we were supposed to do, and nothing worked. I’m staying until they listen to us.’”

The board of education disperses after refusing to hear the girls out, and this is the last straw for Olivia. She decides to stay until they are given a voice, and kicks off the camp-in. Her response continues to highlight The Power of Peaceful Protest. The fact that the girls’ mothers stay with them also highlights the protesters being safe and responsible.

“There used to be dozens of eighth-grade groups, each of them clustered together like schools of fish, zigzagging through the hallways, always changing formation. Now, there are two: the group that is going to Strawberry Hill State Park and the group that is protesting the Fisher Middle School dress code. I’ve never been more sure of which group I want to swim with.”

As news of the camp-in spreads, a significant number of students join, with the rest going to Strawberry Hill. This quote highlights two things: Fisher Middle School has split into two camps, with most of the students joining the protest being girls. This reinforces the theme of Female Friendships and Solidarity in the Face of Discrimination, with the shared experience of discrimination providing solidarity. Molly’s confidence in her decision to spearhead the protesting camp shows she is becoming less affected by her peers, like Megan. She is undergoing The Transition From Childhood to Adolescence.

“What if, instead of seeing us as covered or uncovered body parts, you saw us as people and you learned our names? And our talents? And pushed us to be who we were meant to be? It’s not about the clothes, Dr. Couchman. It never has been.”

Molly reflects on the letter she would have liked to write Dr. Couchman, suggesting he should have treated his students as real people rather than bodies to be policed. This is the real issue Molly is fighting, the shaming of girls. It is the attitude with which Dr. Couchman, Mr. Dern, and Fingertip police students’ attire.

“I’m going to a protest I organized. You can make fun of me if you want, but I should warn you it’s not going to make me feel bad or question myself. And you can call me Frog, but I don’t care. I like frogs. Good luck studying. I hope you do really well on your exams.”

Molly finally stands up to Danny. This moment comes in concurrence with the dress code protest reaching its apex, and both events feed into each other. Molly has the confidence to assert herself in both situations. She eventually receives satisfactory responses from both situations, with the dress code being struck down and rewritten, and Danny responding to her letter with a sincere apology and a promise to do better.

“I don’t think they understand how hard it is to find something to wear in the morning that doesn’t make you self-conscious. They make it so much worse. We just want to be kids a little while longer.”

Molly broadcasts the final board of education meeting, giving listeners context for why the dress code needs to change. Dress codes often imply girls are “distracting” boys at school, which is problematic. As Molly asserts, middle schoolers want to be carefree children for a little longer, not forced to think about their bodies and sexuality, especially by adults in a space where they are meant to feel safe and learn.