Sen. Tulfo files bill seeking to give female students option to wear pants
A Senate bill is seeking to give female students the option to wear pants in school.
Senate Bill No. 1986, or Pants for Her Act, filed by Sen. Raffy Tulfo, highlights potential gender differences brought upon by uniform policies, noting that it should instead encourage fairness "by extending gender-neutral options to students."
"The convenience of wearing pants or trousers should be available for all. Women should not be restricted to wearing skirts as their choice of uniform in schools, colleges, or universities,” reads the bill.
In the bill's explanatory note, Tulfo noted that for decades, skirts have been used as "identifiers" to differentiate two genders from one another.
"In today's social climate, it is imperative that young women are given another alternative to the traditional skirted uniform," he wrote, "in order for them to feel comfortable and promote a gender-neutral environment."
“(The bill) allows them to move and express themselves freely and authentically without fear of discrimination or harassment,” he added.
Aside from gender concerns, Tulfo pointed out that wearing pants, as well as long sleeves, can help avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes and suffer dengue.
It also makes commuting easier for the female students, particularly when riding motorcycles according to Tulfo.
“The right of young women to wear trousers to school needs to be a given," he said, "and not a privilege that needs to be argued for in each individual case."