Often seen as a totally harmless and playful theme in the traditional muck-up weeks that are held at the end of the school year in most European schools, the “gender swap” has its points of criticism. In this article we delve into the pros and cons of the gender swap theme.
Author: Freija Vlagsma
Every year, at the end of May or the start of June, our school is transformed into the S7’s playground for a day, this day being Muck-Up Day of course. Many regard this day as the highlight of the school year, and the traditions accompanying both Muck-up Week and -Day make it a success. A tradition that stands out especially, is the themed dress-up days. Each day of the week the S7s come to school dressed according to their given theme, leaving the other years guessing what the theme could be. One theme that comes back every year, however, is the “Gender swap”. On this day every pupil comes to school dressed as the opposite gender. But what if “the opposite” isn’t as clear to you as it might be to another?
Would you feel comfortable with a theme that insinuates that you belong to the gender you were assigned to at birth? This question might be a straightforward one to most, but for some, it certainly isn’t. That is why a theme like “Gender Swap” can prove to be difficult. Should this theme modernize, or should all things stay as they are?
In this article, I’ll explore both the pros and cons of Muck-Up Week’s “Gender Swap”, give insight into both sides of the debate, and propose a potential solution.
A Harmless Theme
A stance many take in this debate is that the majority speaks. Most people have no issue with the theme, so why make it one? “Have you ever heard anyone complain about it in the past?”, is an argument brought up when defending the Gender Swap theme. On top of that, the theme isn’t all that serious. The muck-up day is all about fun! This theme is about toying around with what you consider stereotypical femininity and masculinity. What’s the harm in a girl drawing on a moustache and a boy wearing heels?
Though I agree with both statements, it is important to remember that no damage is done when welcoming more people into the fun by making an otherwise less-inclusive festivity, accessible to everyone.
Challenging Tradition
As a school, we should include all students and avoid exclusion at all costs. That is why some may find it best to eliminate this theme and replace it with something different. Not only is it the easiest way to ensure every student feels at ease, but it could also show that our school can let go of outdated traditions and come up with new ones.
Maybe it’s time to modernize Muck-up Week and think of more inclusive ways of portraying gender identity. We all appreciate traditions, and it is important to honour them, but sometimes challenging them is the best step towards creating a more inclusive environment.
Gender Mix Day
With both perspectives in mind, it is easier to come up with a solution that can please both parties. I believe that in this case, the answer lies somewhere in between keeping it as it is and replacing the theme entirely. I think that there is nothing inherently wrong with the “Gender Swap” and that scrapping it would be a real shame. After all, one of the most entertaining things is seeing people wear clothes they would never wear on any other day. It is great fun to experiment with gender and stereotypes that go along with it. Denying S7s of this dress-up theme would disappoint many.
Instead, we should opt into broadening the theme, so that it can be interpreted freely. If we change it from “Gender Swap” to “Gender Mix”, a minor change for most, it could help many pupils who don’t identify with the 2 basic gender labels feel more at ease. This simple name change implies that pupils can, (if they want to of course) mix and match elements of both gender stereotypes and come up with creative costumes. This is a positive change that will make for an even wider range of outfits, keep the tradition, and allow everyone to feel included and represented within ESB.
I hope that this suggestion will make it to reality, as I don’t see how it could be a negative change!
Proof-read by: Mrs. Mattingley
