As soon as school starts, many students join extracurriculars which require time outside of school and lots of work is put into it. Many of these extracurriculars involve practicing.

For athletes, the hot Texas weather can be hard to handle. For sports like cross country, most runners want remove their shirt to avoid overheating. This technique is socially acceptable for boys. However, if a girl wanted to cool down in this manner, it is viewed as inappropriate.

If one gender is allowed this privilege, then the other should also be able to use it. Girls should be allowed to remove their shirts and just wear their sports bra to cool down as long as guys are allowed to run without a shirt.

The biggest issue with this is the inequality it represents in everyday activities because it is sexist to not allow girls the same action. Both girls and boys should be allowed to cool down the same way. It is these small acts of prejudice that make bigger issues of sexism seem more acceptable.

Not only is it unfair in cross country, it’s unequal between different campus sports. Dancers run around in skin tight legings and in tops that wouldn’t pass dress code and none of it is questioned. Also, volleyball players and cheerleaders can wear very short shorts and skirts and people see it as “uniform” and there is no other way to dress. Girls in Bowie sports should be able to run in whatever they want.

Another  reason for this occurrence is people on campus wrongfully sexualize young girl’s bodies. Women in society are constantly being hypersexualized and criticized.

This directly applies to high school girls. As soon as people see their bodies in a non-sexual way, it makes them uncomfortable. This means that when girls run with only sports bras, people are uncomfortable with seeing that much skin. Those people associate this image with the sexualized view of women.

This constant criticism towards girls in sports’ has consequences too. Girls are now worried about their appearance. A lot of time, this causes them to feel self conscious about their appearance. Girls may focus on how others view them rather than focusing on their sport and doing the best that they possibly can.

A solution to this controversy is not allowing either gender to remove their shirt. This way, no one can be offended by girls revealing their skin. It also promotes equality between girls and boys. Although it will be a little hotter, it is fair.

Promoting a positive environment is important for the team’s success. Both or neither gender should be allowed to remove their shirts.

If that cannot happen, then girls need to be allowed to also run in only their sports bras during sport practices because guys are allowed to remove theirs during practice. It is sexist to not allow females and males runners to cool down the same manner.