A plea for help, any feminists/successful activists out there?

[Jenni_Anne]

Hey PLEBAns, so here'd the deal.
I go to an all-girls school, and there's a boys school down the road. In Sixth form year (16-18) we can were our own clothes (no uniform! Yay!) but us girls are made to wear skirts. This makes me angry, especially because I was talking to a friend at athe boy's school and he said he though that we all just wear skirts 'as a present for our (his) school, snort snort'
So, I'm trying to launch a passive resistance campaign, and, as I can't exactly compose songs, or hang from the ceiling with a white flag screaming this is not a rebel song, I was hoping you guys could give me some ideas as to how to pull off this campaign. I'm not exactly one of the 'in-crowd', so no-one would follow my lead if I made inspiring speeches and asked them all to storm the head's office, or asked them all to come to school in trousers one day. I have a few posters designed, and I'm thinking of organizing a petition, both of which could possibly get me detention as we need permission for stuff like that. It's not a school, it's a dictatorship!
Thanx for listening!

 

[souLnation2002]

hmm, try going with a petition or something

 

[martha]

What country do you live in? Try it from a constitutional angle, if that's appropriate for your situation.

 

[bammo2]

I seem to remember (from the UK thread in Discotheque) you were from the UK midlands......where abouts? cos I went to a GPDST girls school in Nottingham, and we had a boys school down the road too...it's not the same school is it? Although we were allowed to wear trousers in the 6th form....

mind you, it was 9 years ago.....

anyway.....try putting flyers in peples lockers or something.....that way it won't matter if you're in the 'in crowd' at first cos it would be anonymous...... and once people are aware of the campaign you could do a petition or something.

At my school we weren't allowed to tie our school uniform jumpers round our waists, cos apparantly it made us look like prostitutes.....

 

[meegannie]

At my school we weren't allowed to tie our school uniform jumpers round our waists, cos apparantly it made us look like prostitutes.....

 

[hippy]

wow... I'm getting all hot under the collar from this! I want to come and help you! lol

Anyway, don't worry that you're not part of the "in-crowd"... I'm sure this issue is affecting everyone at your school. Have you heard other people talking about this issue? Maybe you could somehow ask them if they would like to work on this with you. I'm also a fan of getting permission for resistance... is there anyway that you could get permission for a petition? It seems pretty silly that you have to do that, though. Maybe you could organize the petition to circulate outside of school? Or find the boundaries of the school yard outside and then plant yourself just outside of those boundaries with a table and lots of signs.

Also, can you wear whatever shirts you want with your skirts? Maybe you could make a shirt protesting the skirt rule. Also, can you personalize your locker or backpack or anything that you wear? Those are all great places for signs... and they get people to notice.

There is also the option of setting the example yourself. If you're up for it, and if it's worth it to you, I would say to wear trousers and see what happens. And then to do it again until it becomes an issue. People WILL notice. But one word of caution... I would wear nice pants and a nice outfit in general. If you show the administration how nice people can look in such an outfit, they might be more inclined to listen to requests for a change.

Also, have you tried just asking before you start doing all this stuff? Perhaps there is some formal way you can go about changing what you don't like...

I hope all goes well! I'd be there with you if I could lol!

 

[Jenni_Anne]

Awww... thank you hippy! I would love to have you with me! The thing about coming to school in trousers myself is good, but would have to wait till after summer when i become a sixth former, coz now i wear uniform (which also has no trousers option!) I'm starting the campaign now coz it's been bugging me for a while, and perhaps it could be brought in for the new school year.
There is a formal way to go about this, coz there's a 'school council' just started this year, with a representitive from each class. Of course, the voting for representative was just like a popularity contest, and our rep doesn't even bother turning up most of the time. I think a few ppl from other classes are campaigning at the meetings, but it's mostly about stuff like 'how can we raise money for a new minibus for the netball team' etc..., and everyone's scared of our headmistress!
Bammo2 - we aren't allowed to tie our jumpers around our waists either!! But it's not the same school, mine's in loughborough. We aren't exactly allowed to customise bags and stuff either, but people do so advertising it that way would be a good idea. Thanks hippy!
Has anyone got any slogan ideas for the posters/my bag/my locker etc? I'm not that creative!
How's this for a poster though?
(a pic of a sufferagete<--(sp?)) (LHS is my school)

1918 - The women of Britain won the right to vote.
1923 - We won the right to divorce on equal terms.
1970 - We won the right to equal pay.
When will the women of LHS win the right to wear trousers?
Watch this space!

See... me, not creative. Blah. I'm thinking, when I do have a good poster idea, of putting one on the staff room door. Mwa hahaha. ahem.
Thank you everyone!

 

[hippy]

1918 - The women of Britain won the right to vote.
1923 - We won the right to divorce on equal terms.
1970 - We won the right to equal pay.
When will the women of LHS win the right to wear trousers?
Watch this space!

That's good!

Maybe you could also do a shorter one... something like...

1918 - The women of Britain won the right to vote.
2003 - The women of LHS win the right to wear trousers.
Want to help make this a reality? Contact (insert your information here)

I'm also not too good at the sign making ideas lol but I'll keep thinking

 

[martha]

1918 - The women of Britain won the right to vote.
2003 - The women of LHS win the right to wear trousers.
Want to help make this a reality? Contact (insert your information here)

This is good!

 

[meegannie]

1918 - The women of Britain won the right to vote.
2003 - The women of LHS win the right to wear trousers.
Want to help make this a reality? Contact (insert your information here)

Good luck!

 

[Bonochick]

I'm not exactly one of the 'in-crowd', so no-one would follow my lead if I made inspiring speeches and asked them all to storm the head's office, or asked them all to come to school in trousers one day.

Don't let that stop you. I was most definitely not in the 'in-crowd' when I was in school. However...if I had an opinion on something, I made it known, and if people liked what they heard, they backed me, regardless of the fact that I was considered to be the weird girl. Just be passionate and intelligent. You may be surprised by how many people are behind you.

 

[hippy]

Re: Re: A plea for help, any feminists/successful activists out there?

Don't let that stop you. I was most definitely not in the 'in-crowd' when I was in school. However...if I had an opinion on something, I made it known, and if people liked what they heard, they backed me, regardless of the fact that I was considered to be the weird girl. Just be passionate and intelligent. You may be surprised by how many people are behind you.