The Aberdeen University graduation ceremony dress code states that women attending the ceremony must be dressed in black OR white. Men however are free to choose their preferred colour of traditional dress or wear a suit - something which comes in a wide array of colours.

This is not a petition to incite anything other than the fact that myself, and lots of other women I have spoken to, do not want to be restricted to wearing solely black or white coloured garments on the day we graduate. I feel that it is a very antiquated rule, women will either look like they are going to a funeral or to their confirmation.

We would like the option of wearing smart, suitable and appropriate clothing that also happens to be of any colour we choose. We find there is a disparity in declaring that women must wear certain colours whilst men have the freedom to choose.

It is a day of celebration, we want to get dressed up, stand out and look smart, not look like we are in mourning or confirming our relationship with God.

There is also the issue of money. For a lot of us, we already own the clothes we are going to wear to graduation, however with the rule that we must wear black or white, we will have to go out and spend more money, on top of what we are paying to receive a certificate and attend the ceremony.

Some of us will be choosing to wear black or white, which is absolutely fine, and those people I'm sure will look amazing, however we would like the option of choice over what we, as grown adults, wear.