All male Georgia college says 'no' to cross dressing

by smkovalinsky | October 17, 2009 at 04:21 pm

350 views | 29 Recommendations | 14 comments

An all male college in Atlanta, Georgia is forbidding cross dressing as part of its campus code. No women's clothing, footwear, or accessories will be allowed.

According to a University official, there are 5 gay males on campus who are engaging in this sort of behavior at times, and it is directed toward them, within a broad scoped 'Appropriate Atire' campus code.

To insert the opinion of this writer, if I may: I view this as fitting and proper.
Indeed, I was puzzled when my husband and I used to spend summers in the Cape Cod gay male mecca, Provincetown: So many 'macho' males, young and strong and very virile and full of 'machismo', would by day wear tee shirts, jeans, boots, and military-style shorn hair, but by night, wigs, make-up, high heels, skirts. I never grasped why they felt compelled to do this. In any case, I am sure these gay males can go to their Atlanta gay clubs if the urge to cross-dress should overtake them.

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- An all-male college in Atlanta, Georgia, has banned the wearing of women's clothes, makeup, high heels and purses as part of a new crackdown on what the institution calls inappropriate attire.

No dress-wearing is part of a larger dress code launched this week that Morehouse College is calling its "Appropriate Attire Policy."

The policy also bans wearing hats in buildings, pajamas in public, do-rags, sagging pants, sunglasses in class and walking barefoot on campus.

However, it is the ban on cross-dressing that has brought national attention to the small historically African-American college.

The dress-wearing ban is aimed at a small part of the private college's 2,700-member student body, said Dr. William Bynum, vice president for Student Services.

"We are talking about five students who are living a gay lifestyle that is leading them to dress a way we do not expect in Morehouse men," he said.

Before the school released the policy, Bynum said, he met with Morehouse Safe Space, the campus' gay organization.

"We talked about it and then they took a vote," he said. "Of the 27 people in the room, only three were against it."

There has been a positive response along with some criticism throughout the campus, he said.

Senior Devon Watson said he disagrees with parts of the new policy, especially those that tell students what they should wear in free time outside of the classroom.

"I feel that there will be a lot of resentment and backlash," Watson said. "It infringes on the student's freedom of expression. I matriculated successfully for three-and-half years dressing so how is this a problem?"

Those breaking the policy will not be allowed to go to class unless they change. Chronic dress-code offenders could be suspended from the college.

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Rhonda J Mangus

at 16:56 on October 17th, 2009

Thanks for this, smk. However, I would like to clarify that 'cross-dressing' has nothing to do with sexual orientation, and further state that it might be helpful to review the National Lesbian & Gay Journal Association's Stylebook Supplement on LGBT Terminology.

"I never grasped why they felt compelled to do this."

At the above link readers can learn the definition of cross-dressing, trans-sexual, transvestite, drag queens, etc. and then do the research:)

Thanks again!

AGK

at 17:01 on October 17th, 2009

Thanks for this clarification, Rhonda, and the important link. However, it does indeed seem that a large number of gay males - not transgender, not transexual, not transvestites, but gay males - do have the proclivity to engage in this 'camp' behavior in places such as Provincetown and Key West. This does not by any means assert that ALL or most gay males do; only that they could be seen doing this constantly for no apparent reason - to the tourist's eye - for doing so. In the end, I think it is a cultural thing, a "resort" thing in these places, and it does not fit into any one definition.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 17:17 on October 17th, 2009

You are very welcome! Do you have any source material to back up the following statement (keeping in mind, again, that this is not a matter of cross-dressing):

"However, it does indeed seem that a large number of gay males - not transgender, not transexual, not transvestites, but gay males - do have the proclivity to engage in this 'camp' behavior in places such as Provincetown and Key West."

Or is it only a 'tourist's observation'?:)

Thanks!:)

AGK

at 17:23 on October 17th, 2009

Well, it certainly was born of many, many years spending summer in Provincetown, being part of their night life, and knowing many of the people ( gay male couples who owned summer homes up there) and forming friendships of some depth. I suppose the only 'evidence' to back this up is to look at the Provincetown paper (The Banner) in the summer: This is when the gay male population swells. The paper carries ads which run "Summer 'Camp' : Dress in drag night, prizes" etc. And the town would be crawling with men at night, in dresses and heels. But I suppose it was just for fun. The rest of the year, I suppose, they did not do it. But it would go on all summer, especially late July-late August ( the height of the gay scene up there).

Rhonda J Mangus

at 17:29 on October 17th, 2009

I'm sure it was:)! Thanks for the explanation. And, again, for the story!

Roy C

at 17:53 on October 17th, 2009

I think that the rule is fine. I especially like the part about the gangsta clothing, though not called such in the article.

158

at 20:19 on October 17th, 2009

It is a good rule.

Babel-Fish

at 00:47 on October 18th, 2009

I notice this was a democratic decision and that the dress code covered all males and gays within its bans.

The policy also bans wearing hats in buildings, pajamas in public, do-rags, sagging pants, sunglasses in class and walking barefoot on campus.

But ban rags is against students rights of having a few fun days, this could never happen in any school of excellence in UK rag days are sacrosanct I am total outraged by this students rights breach. lol

I bet that regulation is breached... lol

Hugh Askew

at 05:08 on October 18th, 2009

Good for Morehouse.

Showed some class with that. And a little common sense.....a rare commodity in some places.

Any bets on how long it takes before the ACLU throws a hissy fit?

a211423

at 08:09 on October 18th, 2009

It's admirable that Moorehouse administration met with the campus gay organization before releasing the policy and received a majority support from them.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 08:36 on October 18th, 2009

Just an FYI, I do believe in dress codes. That's right, I'm from the old school.:) I am opposed however to misinformation and classifications.:).

I agree too that it is admirable that the Morehouse administration met with Morehouse Safe Space members (it was smart, actually), however, I can't help but wonder how many of the members are straight.

a211423

at 12:57 on October 18th, 2009

A Thought

Would an all women's college band women from dressing like men?

AGK

at 13:05 on October 18th, 2009

A, that is a very good question, an excellent one, a most pertinent one. It becomes far blurrier, what kind of pants are male, shirts, and what of ties? We know females love to wear male type clothes (with a twist, of course)---and I think your question reveals that gender typology is still stuck in the 1950s with this type of differentiation! EXCELLENT THINKING, shall give you a reccy! :) smk

a211423

at 13:46 on October 18th, 2009

thank you smk

It poses an interesting polemic and asks the question: "Do clothes make the man or woman?" Is gender assignment determined by the clothes we wear or make up? In previous centuries, men and women wore wigs and tons of make up, and distinguishing male and female might have been difficult if you only viewed from the waist up. Men did not wear dresses, but they wore shoes with heels and stockings.