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.
Updates
February 24, 2017
I really never imagined this would get legs like this but here we are and it is honestly wild to see so many people agreeing that these rules feel like something from a different century. It is just a dress code but it somehow feels like so much more because why on earth should we be dressing for a funeral when we have worked this hard to finish our degrees.
9 Comments
It is 2017 not 1950. Let us wear whatever we want as long as its smart. Nobody wants to hunt for a white dress just for one day.
Why do men get a choice and not women? Seems like a pretty clear double standard to me. Just let them wear what they look good in.
I really dont want to spend a fortune on a dress I will only wear once. Ridiculous rule.
THIS IS ABSURD. Graduation is a massive milestone and we should feel like ourselves, not like we are part of some generic uniform.
You're a university. You should be leading the way at every stage of every moment, not citing tradition for its own sake nor for some frail institutional image. Be the shepherd, not the lemming.
One step at a time. There's no reason for this nonsense.
...
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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.
Updates
February 24, 2017
I really never imagined this would get legs like this but here we are and it is honestly wild to see so many people agreeing that these rules feel like something from a different century. It is just a dress code but it somehow feels like so much more because why on earth should we be dressing for a funeral when we have worked this hard to finish our degrees.
9 Comments
Most will look to wear black, but the graduation ceremony should ride on the merit and gravity of the occasion and not the textile colour choices of the attendees. The degree is forever earned; the right to participate in the celebration of graduation should therefore be immutable regardless of clothing colour.
It is 2017 not 1950. Let us wear whatever we want as long as its smart. Nobody wants to hunt for a white dress just for one day.
Why do men get a choice and not women? Seems like a pretty clear double standard to me. Just let them wear what they look good in.
I really dont want to spend a fortune on a dress I will only wear once. Ridiculous rule.
THIS IS ABSURD. Graduation is a massive milestone and we should feel like ourselves, not like we are part of some generic uniform.
You're a university. You should be leading the way at every stage of every moment, not citing tradition for its own sake nor for some frail institutional image. Be the shepherd, not the lemming.
One step at a time. There's no reason for this nonsense.
...
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Most will look to wear black, but the graduation ceremony should ride on the merit and gravity of the occasion and not the textile colour choices of the attendees. The degree is forever earned; the right to participate in the celebration of graduation should therefore be immutable regardless of clothing colour.