In case you were wondering whether or not middle school is still an oppressive hellscape, today we have news out of Ohio about a school that censored a student's feminist T-shirt.
Buzzfeed reports that Sophie, an 8th-grade student at Clermont Northeastern Middle School, wore the T-shirt above (which actually reads "Feminist") for a school picture. When she later saw the photo, her shirt had been Photoshopped into a plain, black tee. The school told Buzzfeed that they did so because Sophie's tee was "unflattering" — as self-respect and desire for equality for young women are, of course. "We took the photo and [Sophie] was in the front row with the T-shirt on, and it was just not a flattering picture,” school superintendent Ralph Shell told Buzzfeed. He went on to claim that Sophie's parents were contacted, met with the principal, and "agreed to wipe it out,” but Sophie's mother claimed no knowledge of the censorship. The school later apologized. It's interesting to note that the school took no pains to censor Sophie's classmate's Led Zeppelin tee in this same photo — you know, the same band that delights in misogyny and exploitation of underage women (Google "Jimmy Page Lori Maddox" if you don't believe us — and if you have a strong stomach). But, yeah, let's get mad about feminism instead. Click over to Buzzfeed for how Sophie and her friends are pushing back at their school's censorship with the hashtag #IDeserveFreedomOfExpression. Seeing Sophie's fellow students and feminists support her with notes written in bubble letters is the most amazing thing we've seen all day. Go Sophie, go. (Buzzfeed)
Buzzfeed reports that Sophie, an 8th-grade student at Clermont Northeastern Middle School, wore the T-shirt above (which actually reads "Feminist") for a school picture. When she later saw the photo, her shirt had been Photoshopped into a plain, black tee. The school told Buzzfeed that they did so because Sophie's tee was "unflattering" — as self-respect and desire for equality for young women are, of course. "We took the photo and [Sophie] was in the front row with the T-shirt on, and it was just not a flattering picture,” school superintendent Ralph Shell told Buzzfeed. He went on to claim that Sophie's parents were contacted, met with the principal, and "agreed to wipe it out,” but Sophie's mother claimed no knowledge of the censorship. The school later apologized. It's interesting to note that the school took no pains to censor Sophie's classmate's Led Zeppelin tee in this same photo — you know, the same band that delights in misogyny and exploitation of underage women (Google "Jimmy Page Lori Maddox" if you don't believe us — and if you have a strong stomach). But, yeah, let's get mad about feminism instead. Click over to Buzzfeed for how Sophie and her friends are pushing back at their school's censorship with the hashtag #IDeserveFreedomOfExpression. Seeing Sophie's fellow students and feminists support her with notes written in bubble letters is the most amazing thing we've seen all day. Go Sophie, go. (Buzzfeed)
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