Body Acceptance: A School Against Weight Discrimination

A local Chicago school district, Evanston Township, made national headlines in September for their body-positive dress code changes. 

The new changes were based on an Oregon chapter of the National Association of Woman.

As the Today Show described it,

“The school emphasized that its new dress code "is written in a manner that does not reinforce stereotypes and does not reinforce or increase marginalization or oppression of any group based on race, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, cultural observance, household income or body type/size.

Staff members are now being trained to use body-positive language in explaining the code. Also, "shaming" by staff members — defined as measuring straps or skirt lengths, or accusing students of "distracting" others with their clothing — is also prohibited.”

The UnWeighted model applauds Evanston Township for their awareness and progressive notions of what “should and “should not.”  Shaming does not promote positive change, quite the opposite, and often with potentially dangerous consequences.