UK students petition to ban school uniforms from pornography

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 12 Oct, 18:14 · Archive

A group of British secondary school students has launched a petition calling for school uniforms to be banned from pornographic content.

A group of secondary school students at The Cooper School in Bicester, Oxfordshire have launched a petition calling for school uniforms to be banned from all pornography. The campaign was initiated by members of the school's Little Feminist Book Club, and has so far gathered over 28,000 signatures.

The students report that school uniforms are commonly used in pornographic videos and sexualised costume sales. They cite a 2018 Plan International report in which 35% of respondents aged 14 to 21 said they had experienced unwanted sexual attention whilst wearing school uniforms. Eight percent reported being filmed or photographed without permission, or experiencing 'upskirting'.

Members of the group say they have experienced harassment and catcalling whilst wearing their uniforms and feel unsafe in their communities. One 15-year-old student said she avoids wearing her uniform outside school due to fear. Another said the sexualisation has 'distorted' what school uniforms represent, turning something meant to build community into something tainted.

Alex Davies-Jones, a Member of Parliament, has voiced support for the campaign. In April, the British government passed legislation banning adults from pretending to be underage in pornographic films, though enforcement has not yet begun.

How it is being reported

• Teens call for ban on school uniforms in pornography: ‘We’re not sexy schoolgirls’So far, the petition counts over 28,000 signatures.New York Post · 12 Oct, 17:56
• UK students call for school uniforms to be banned in pornographyShort skirts, knee-high socks, white blouses: Girls' school uniform items are widely used as costumes in pornographic videos. As students experience harassment, a group wants to change that.DW News · 12 Oct, 08:24

In this story: The Cooper School · Bicester · Oxfordshire · Plan International · Britney Spears · Alex Davies-Jones

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