You Can Call Me, Karen

90s nostalgia. Early 2000s chaos. One of them is actually named Karen. You Can Call Me Karen is the pop culture podcast for anyone who grew up on reality TV, survived the early internet, and still has opinions about all of it. New episodes every Sunday.

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You Can Call Me, Karen

Do Dress Codes Serve a Purpose?

March 29, 2025 • Karen, Steph, & Manni • Season 1 • Episode 18

0:00 | 1:05:49

Text Us Your Karen Stories

Welcome to the You Can Call Me Karen Podcast! In this episode, we explore the topic dress codes, the reasons behind them, and the hidden messages they send. Why do so many dress codes disproportionately affect female students and students of color? What role do they play in reinforcing outdated gender norms, racial bias, and victim-blaming culture?

We also discuss the connection between dress codes and shifting attitudes toward victim blaming in cases of assault, questioning whether these policies do more harm than good. As schools and students push for more inclusive and equitable dress policies, we ask: Is it time to rethink the way we regulate self-expression in education?

Links to sources referenced in this episode:

https://www.edweek.org/leadership/school-dress-code-debates-sexist-explained/2022/12

As always - a big thank you to Steve Olszewski for the art and images, Calid B and SJ Fadeaway for the musical mixings, and huge credit to Malvina Reynolds (writer) and Schroder Music Co. (ASCAP) (publisher) of the song “Little Boxes”.

Lastly, please follow us on Instagram (@youcancallmekaren), TikTok (@YCCMKPod), and like/subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!

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You Can Call Me, Karen