Girl Booted From Prom Because Everyone Couldn't Stop Staring!(Let's have a serious conversation)
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PILL_COSBY
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Prom is one of the most important life events there is for a teenager. It's supposed to be a night of warm memories and fun with friends. And if you’ve been homeschooled, then the night would naturally be a pivotal moment for celebration and camaraderie. Clare Ettinger of Richmond, VA, however, had that moment ripped away from her when she was booted out of her own prom.
As 17-year-old Clare and her boyfriend James Thompson made their way to a home school prom, themed "Twilight in Paris," they were thrilled for the night ahead of them. They felt good, they looked great, and they were ecstatic to finally unwind with friends. Her boyfriend had even purchased them tickets to the prom way in advance. Nothing, they thought, could take this night away from them
Indeed, she had worked hard to pick out the perfect dress: a glittery silver number that she had found after searching in six different stores, eventually finding it at Macy’s. She couldn't wait to show off her “gorgeous, silver, and sparkly” cocktail dress to all her friends. Little did she realize, it was this dress that, for some, would push things way too far.
But for Clare, this was the perfect dress. After months of saving up her tip money from work, she had finally found something that she loved and could actually afford. But it wouldn't be so easy: her new dress would need to pass the notorious fingertip length test. So she relaxed her arms at her sides, praying that her dress hem falls below her fingertips.
Clare carefully noted that the prom dress code listed on the registration form was simple, which asked girls to keep their dresses semi-formal at a fingertip length. And although it was a close call, the dress made the cut. She was confident that this was the perfect dress. Even so, there was just something about this dress that would make everyone lose their minds.
To ensure that she would be complying with the event's rules, she had test the outfit with heels before going out. But this time the hem of her dress dangled dangerously close to her fingertips. Any exaggerated moves, like dancing for example, would cause it to hike up her thighs. But as long as she moved gracefully, all would be well. And yet as soon as she showed up to the dance, hosted at a local Methodist church, she was confronted.Upon arrival, she was immediately approached by administration. Despite her meticulous preparation, one of the organizers, Ann Duncan, stopped her at the door and said, "Honey, that dress is too short." Unafraid and confident in her elegant outfit, Clare boldly shot back at Mrs. Duncan “What is the rule?”
As Clare expected, she responded, “Fingertip length.” Clare went on to explain that the dress simply appeared short on her because she's a tall, curvy girl with long legs. However, Mrs. Duncan informed that her dress was just inappropriately short, and that it failed to comply with the dress code. It would seem Clare would have to fight her way in. But Clare wouldn't budge. After quickly demonstrating that her outfit did indeed pass the fingertip test, the pretty partygoer was begrudgingly(THE ? DOES THIS EVEN MEAN?) allowed access to the ballroom, albeit with a threat: “Well, make sure it stays pulled down. It’s too short.” Unfortunately for Clare, that was only a warning shot. The real battle had yet to begin. Indeed, Clair later wrote, "When I got into the ballroom I laughed, because I was surrounded by girls in much shorter dresses then me, albeit they were shorter, and therefore stood out less in the crowd, but it was still frustrating." Even so, Clare had finally made it inside and was ready to celebrate the special night. A few minutes later though, Clare and her friends spotted something sinister looming just above their heads.
A lot of people were standing around talking in the center of the dance floor. But the thing that really made things awkward was the line of chaperones and dads looking down on them gawking from the balcony above.Understandably, Clare and her friends felt deeply uncomfortable. "I felt violated by the sheer number of male parents that were assigned to do nothing for five hours other then watch girls in short dresses and heels dance to upbeat music," Clare wrote on her blog post. "I think that it is sick and wrong that they assigned them to sit on a balcony above us and look down on us and single us out for our clothes or dancing." Nevertheless, they paid them no attention. They couldn't let that ruin their night, could they? Sadly though, their prom was doomed from the very beginning. Shortly afterwards, Mrs. Duncan stormed over to her again. This time, she was clearly on the warpath.
As 17-year-old Clare and her boyfriend James Thompson made their way to a home school prom, themed "Twilight in Paris," they were thrilled for the night ahead of them. They felt good, they looked great, and they were ecstatic to finally unwind with friends. Her boyfriend had even purchased them tickets to the prom way in advance. Nothing, they thought, could take this night away from them
Indeed, she had worked hard to pick out the perfect dress: a glittery silver number that she had found after searching in six different stores, eventually finding it at Macy’s. She couldn't wait to show off her “gorgeous, silver, and sparkly” cocktail dress to all her friends. Little did she realize, it was this dress that, for some, would push things way too far.
But for Clare, this was the perfect dress. After months of saving up her tip money from work, she had finally found something that she loved and could actually afford. But it wouldn't be so easy: her new dress would need to pass the notorious fingertip length test. So she relaxed her arms at her sides, praying that her dress hem falls below her fingertips.
Clare carefully noted that the prom dress code listed on the registration form was simple, which asked girls to keep their dresses semi-formal at a fingertip length. And although it was a close call, the dress made the cut. She was confident that this was the perfect dress. Even so, there was just something about this dress that would make everyone lose their minds.
To ensure that she would be complying with the event's rules, she had test the outfit with heels before going out. But this time the hem of her dress dangled dangerously close to her fingertips. Any exaggerated moves, like dancing for example, would cause it to hike up her thighs. But as long as she moved gracefully, all would be well. And yet as soon as she showed up to the dance, hosted at a local Methodist church, she was confronted.Upon arrival, she was immediately approached by administration. Despite her meticulous preparation, one of the organizers, Ann Duncan, stopped her at the door and said, "Honey, that dress is too short." Unafraid and confident in her elegant outfit, Clare boldly shot back at Mrs. Duncan “What is the rule?”
As Clare expected, she responded, “Fingertip length.” Clare went on to explain that the dress simply appeared short on her because she's a tall, curvy girl with long legs. However, Mrs. Duncan informed that her dress was just inappropriately short, and that it failed to comply with the dress code. It would seem Clare would have to fight her way in. But Clare wouldn't budge. After quickly demonstrating that her outfit did indeed pass the fingertip test, the pretty partygoer was begrudgingly(THE ? DOES THIS EVEN MEAN?) allowed access to the ballroom, albeit with a threat: “Well, make sure it stays pulled down. It’s too short.” Unfortunately for Clare, that was only a warning shot. The real battle had yet to begin. Indeed, Clair later wrote, "When I got into the ballroom I laughed, because I was surrounded by girls in much shorter dresses then me, albeit they were shorter, and therefore stood out less in the crowd, but it was still frustrating." Even so, Clare had finally made it inside and was ready to celebrate the special night. A few minutes later though, Clare and her friends spotted something sinister looming just above their heads.
A lot of people were standing around talking in the center of the dance floor. But the thing that really made things awkward was the line of chaperones and dads looking down on them gawking from the balcony above.Understandably, Clare and her friends felt deeply uncomfortable. "I felt violated by the sheer number of male parents that were assigned to do nothing for five hours other then watch girls in short dresses and heels dance to upbeat music," Clare wrote on her blog post. "I think that it is sick and wrong that they assigned them to sit on a balcony above us and look down on us and single us out for our clothes or dancing." Nevertheless, they paid them no attention. They couldn't let that ruin their night, could they? Sadly though, their prom was doomed from the very beginning. Shortly afterwards, Mrs. Duncan stormed over to her again. This time, she was clearly on the warpath.
Comments
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Mrs. Duncan beckoned her over and escorted her off the dance floor. “She took me into a corner in the hallway, with another woman – who I’m assuming was a parent chaperone – and told me that some of the dads who were chaperoning had complained that my dancing was too provocative and that I was going to cause the young men at the prom to think impure thoughts,” Clare wrote in a blog post. It seems like the dads were the ones thinking impure thoughts. If anyone should be sent home, shouldn't it be the people staring? Furthermore, saying her outfit causes "impure thoughts" isn't much of a stretch from "she asked for it" when people blame victims of sexual assault for what they were wearing. Are the thoughts and actions of young men and their fathers really her responsibility? According to the school, yes. Well, Clare wasn't going to take this lying down. It was time to fight back.
She and her friends tried to reason with them. Visibly upset and with tears rolling down her cheeks, Clare and her group of friends were all thrown out of the prom "because I stuck out," she wrote. "I have long legs and I was wearing a sparkly dress, I didn’t look like most of the 13-15 year old girls there, I looked like a woman. I am so tired of people who abuse their power to make women feel violated and ashamed." “I was told that the way I dressed and moved my body was causing men to think inappropriately about me, implying that it is my responsibility to control other people’s thoughts and drives,” said Claire."We walked out of the prom, frustrated and angry and feeling very disrespected and violated," Clare said. But Clare wouldn't let it end there. She took to the internet to blow the whistle on this injustice, and women the world over heard her message loud and clear."The whole situation made me feel violated, walked over, and ostracized," wrote Clare in a blog post. "How is it that what I look like and how I dress constitutes the level of respect you give me?"
"When the lady kicked me out, they said the dads had complained about my dancing and that meant that they had to have been watching me," Clare fired back. The seventeen-year-old felt that she had been targeted because her body was more mature than those of some of the other girls in the room. "This is a message to girls built like me, who can’t find jeans that fit!" Care wrote in her blog. "The girls with long legs, who are forced to prove that their dresses fit the dress code, just because they have more leg showing then most girls."
“This is a message to the women who understand that sometimes it doesn’t matter how much you pin a dress, you’re still going to have cleavage show when you bend over,” Clare wrote. "Enough with the girl shaming," Clare continued. "I'm not responsible for some perverted 45 years old dad ? after me because I have a sparkly dress on. And if you think I am, then maybe you're part of the problem."
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LOL WOW!!! I don't know where to start. I highlighted the best parts in red. That's what I want to speak on. Here we go with this ? again. What really makes this sad is that she is self aware. She knows she looks like a grown ass woman wearing a sexy dress with flesh exposed.
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Probably had more to do with her date
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Inglewood_B wrote: »Probably hade more to do with her date
not gonna lie, once i saw the picture i thought this was where the story was going! -
Doubtful this was about the dress if it was that a serious reach
now that i read the article.. straight up ? ..pseudo religious pervs -
Lmao I've seen MUCH worse at my prom. Whatever tho.
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Mom got that haircut it's a wrap
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Looking at that picture couldn't be the dress lol
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She went to the prom with Tay Zonday?
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it was in Richmond VA. they religious and conservative as ? . they about 50 years behind. no need for a serious convo.
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They gotta be super conservative, cause they'd lose their minds in the city if they're tripping over that little regular ? .it was in Richmond VA. they religious and conservative as ? . they about 50 years behind. no need for a serious convo. -
I live in Richmond and didn’t hear about this but It’s richmond homeschool not the public school that’s why there was outrage
We been catching the twerk on the wall since middle school and they never tripped they would just play sweeet home Alabama if it got out of hand -
Just read the invitation card:
This wasn't an actual "school" prom.
It was a............."homeschool"..............prom.
Furthermore, it was held at Shady Grove United Methodist Church.
Which makes sense because most parents who homeschool their kids do it because they're ultra-religious and think that public school will corrupt their kids.
If she was in public school this wouldn't have even been an issue.
@OhMars
Aren't you a little too old for prom?
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Dress looks like it belongs on a grown ass woman headed out to the club, not a teenager going to prom. Where was this girl's father??? Moms trying to live vicariously through her daughter or something?
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Yeeeah, probably had less to do with the dress or her height and more to do with the Chocolate Rain lookalike...
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Girls had their ? out in thongs and ? shorts at my prom. It was a glorious mess and an unforgettable night as much as a lame night like a prom can be if the party isn't right.
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DA
MALE
GAZE -
Blame it on the dress. Sounds like a Guess who's coming to dinner movie title. What does @kat think? We'd like ya input on this poor girls situation please.
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Lol @ poor girl..she'll live.
May have been due to her date, or maybe the old lady dress checking had her husband in the gallery staring at all the girls dancing.
I went to a religious private school, so this level of forced modesty is familiar to me. Not much you can do about it..it's a private school.
Ps..I don't like her dress. -
Lol @ poor girl..she'll live.
May have been due to her date, or maybe the old lady dress checking had her husband in the gallery staring at all the girls dancing.
I went to a religious private school, so this level of forced modesty is familiar to me. Not much you can do about it..it's a private school.
Ps..I don't like her dress.
Ahh ok, this explains alot... -
Lol @ poor girl..she'll live.
May have been due to her date, or maybe the old lady dress checking had her husband in the gallery staring at all the girls dancing.
I went to a religious private school, so this level of forced modesty is familiar to me. Not much you can do about it..it's a private school.
Ps..I don't like her dress.
Private schools produce the biggest thots -
Lol @ poor girl..she'll live.
May have been due to her date, or maybe the old lady dress checking had her husband in the gallery staring at all the girls dancing.
I went to a religious private school, so this level of forced modesty is familiar to me. Not much you can do about it..it's a private school.
Ps..I don't like her dress.
Private schools produce the biggest thots
As does attempting to shelter your children from the real world. -
Lol @ poor girl..she'll live.
May have been due to her date, or maybe the old lady dress checking had her husband in the gallery staring at all the girls dancing.
I went to a religious private school, so this level of forced modesty is familiar to me. Not much you can do about it..it's a private school.
Ps..I don't like her dress.
Private schools produce the biggest thots
As does attempting to shelter your children from the real world.
Is that how you ended up ? with black dudes? -
ghostdog56 wrote: »Lol @ poor girl..she'll live.
May have been due to her date, or maybe the old lady dress checking had her husband in the gallery staring at all the girls dancing.
I went to a religious private school, so this level of forced modesty is familiar to me. Not much you can do about it..it's a private school.
Ps..I don't like her dress.
Private schools produce the biggest thots
As does attempting to shelter your children from the real world.
Is that how you ended up ? with black dudes?
No. -
She looks like she's warped in aluminum foil
