Girl Explains Why She Organized ‘No Bra Day’ at Her School

Charlie McKenna | June 17, 2016
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Kaitlyn Juvik, a student at Helena High School in Montana, hosted a “No Bra Day” to protest sexualization of women's bodies.

She told The Guardian she was walking along one ordinary day, not wearing a bra, when she was stopped by a school administrator who told her to put a bra on. The administrator told her “[T]here are a lot of male teachers and students here and that makes them uncomfortable.”
Seems like a pretty simple problem. But not for Juvik, who felt “embarrassed” and "almost violated."

She alleges, "You couldn’t even really tell I wasn’t wearing a bra." However, it definitely was noticeable since administrator noticed it (and, potentially, fellow students). Plus, isn't it preferable for the administrator to let you know that it’s obvious that you’re under-clothed rather than other students pointing it out?  

Juvik says she noticed there was technically nothing in the handbook saying she had to wear a bra. The rules only state bra staps shouldn’t show, which Juvik triumphantly stated wasn’t a problem for her.

However, the handbook is presumably operating from the notion that every girl wears a bra. There was probably nothing in the handbook stating that students have to wear pants either.

Therefore, to protest what she felt was an unjust atrocity, Juvik organized a “No Bra Day” with her friends. She explained to The Guardian:

It was about gender equality and teaching people not to sexualize women’s bodies. We’re always asked to do things to make guys more comfortable. If my boobs make you uncomfortable, then why are you looking at me in that way?

Not wearing a bra has nothing to do with equality. It doesn’t give women any more rights than they had before.

She continued, “I tried to explain that we were standing up for ourselves and that I have freedom of speech and expression.”

However, this isn’t a freedom of speech issue. This has to do with indecent exposure.

She wrapped up with the statement by saying, “It’s about women everywhere being comfortable with their bodies.”

Not wearing clothes has nothing to do with women being comfortable with their bodies.

 

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