A Utah teen sparked controversy for being forced to wear a winter coat at a school dance because officials thought her dress was too inappropriate.
That isn’t the craziest thing we’ve ever heard … until you see the dress that somehow prompted the school to take such action against Gabi Finalyson:
Finalyson, 15, couldn’t wait for last Saturday’s formal at Lone Peak High School in Highland, Utah, having picked out a dress on a recent trip to Paris.
She thought it was perfect, and rightfully so. As soon as she walked into the event, however, school representatives told her and four others to cover up.
The reason? They were "showing too much shoulder and back."
"Somehow my shoulders are sexualized," Finyalson told KUTV, adding, "Like it’s my responsibility to make sure the boys’ thoughts are not unclean."
"The dress code has been reviewed and approved by both the PTSA and the school community council," Principal Rhonda Bromley told KUTV.
"The dress code is based on the community standard."
The school’s dress code states the following: "Formals, backless dresses and/or tops may not extend beyond the bottom of the shoulder blades."
"Girls’ dresses and tops must have a 2" minimum strap on each shoulder. Shawls, boleros and other shrugs are acceptable if worn over the dress at all times."
And, to state the most obvious rule, "Cleavage covered."
Gabi says her straps did meet the 2-inch mark, while there were plenty of "dresses that were short, tight, and a lot more exposing or revealing than mine."
Her mom, Kristy Kimball, was also upset, saying:
"The message that sends to girls is really troubling and damaging and they’ve already got so many other damaging messages that are being sent to them," Kimball said.
Gabi adds, "Maybe instead of teaching girls that they should cover themselves up, we should be teaching boys that we’re not sex objects that they can look at."
She makes a very valid point there … and come on, school. It’s not like the girls are showing up at official events wearing some of these items: