Is a Mini Skirt Grounds For Expulsion?

mini skirt copy Last month, 20 year old Geisy Arruda was expelled Bandeirante University in Brazil. What would cause someone to be expelled from a university?

Did she cheat?
Did she vandalize?
Did she hurt someone?

No, Geisy incited a mass riot among her fellow students. For showing up to school wearing a mini skirt and “heavy makeup.”

That’s right, when she arrived to school dressed up for the day her fellow students crowded her classroom door, shouting for her to come out so that they could rape her. As she was escorted out, the male students screamed “Puta!” and “whore!” while grabbing at Arruda and attempting to take cell phone pictures between her legs.

The next day Arruda was informed through an ad in the school newspaper that she was expelled, not even given the courtesy of being called and informed of this directly. Their reason for expulsion? Her dress provoked a “collective reaction in defense of the school environment.”

And what environment is this exactly? One where the male students can do whatever they feel like? Threaten women with violent and disgusting acts like rape? Leave class and start rioting in the hallways without even a slap on the wrist? Not only are they not being reprimanded for their outlandish behavior, but they are actually being defended by the school, all while this poor girl is made out to be a criminal. And for what? Putting on some eyeliner and wearing a cute sweater-mini to class?

The way this incident is being handled is perpetuating a belief system that places the blame of harassment and rape on women. It is taking the focus off of the men who brutalized Arruda and making her the perpetrator instead of the victim. What kind of learning environment is this where women must live in fear of the students around her? Where she can be chased from campus when the guy sitting next to her doesn’t agree with her choice of clothing?

If anyone should be expelled for disrupting the “school environment” it is the male students who verbally abused Arruda. I’m pretty sure riots on campus are far more distracting than a skirt and a little mascara.

Lauren - University of Michigan says:
Mon, 9th Nov 200912:55 pm

This is incredibly disturbing.

jgirl says:
Mon, 9th Nov 200912:56 pm

I agree. Since when does dressing a certain way give license to mistreat others? Granted, maybe she should have reconsidered her outfit before heading out the door, but it’s not her fault that it provoked such an extreme reaction. Here, people might have given her dirty looks (from both guys/girls alike), but I don’t think there would have been a mass riot and extreme threats like those. Those male students should he held accountable for their actions and reactions.

I think the male student who called her a “whore” and then attempted to grab her and take photos of her crotch is one guy who has serious deeply-rooted issues with women. I think maybe he was disgusted with himself for being turned on, so he turned that hate towards her…

Marina says:
Mon, 9th Nov 200911:21 pm

Apparently the international media merged two facts into one, but the whole story is just bizarre. It’s basically a mix of false moralism of a right wing school owned by a very inescrupulous guy, alienated students bored with class, media sensationalism and a pinch of blatant sexism.

Uniban (her university) is in the bottom 5% universities in Brazil. It’s known as a “diploma factory”. The campus where she studied was in a politically leftist, but morally conservative city of the greater Sao Paulo. Then there are some particularities from the Brazilian educational system involved like public universities, rather than the privates ones, being the most prestigious (there are some exceptions), students in general not knowing people who major in subjects different than their own and Brazilian universities not having dorms, transforming colleges in lifeless giant blocks of concrete. And that creates a divide between the students.

She studied at night and was going to a party after classes, hence the dress. It was a Friday night, most people are having classes until 11 pm, which generates a unwillingness to study, specially in the middle of the semester in a very, very bad school. I don’t know what happen in between, but whatever happened it formed mob mentality and the girl is being harassed by students, teachers and employees of the school. The thing was so heated she had to lock herself in her classroom with her friends and teacher and call the police. Meanwhile, the students were kicking the door trying to get in and taking pictures from the window above it. Police arrived and escorted her home. Even with the police, people were still trying to take upskirt pics, calling her a whore and saying that someone should rape her.

Next day everything is on youtube. She complained to the university and it opened an inquiry. The videos caught the attention of the Brazilian media. Brazilian public opinion supports her, but her school doesn’t, and, two weeks later, she was expelled.

The Brazilian ministry of education is pissed at the university and is going to open a case against the school and so are a bunch of other organizations. To clarify, her college is private but every school has to follow a certain, albeit very loose, guideline from the Ministry to acquire a certification to open its doors. But today, Uniban revoked their decision of expelling the girl.

People are calling the school UniTaliban.

Measures by Brazilian institutions to try to fix what happened to Geisy:

- The Ministry of Education, Procon (Consumer’s Prosecution), Public Ministry (Federal prosecution) and the Sao Bernardo DDM (Special Victims department) all opened separated investigations about the case.

- At least three Representatives and one Senator spoke against the University.

- UNE (Brazilian Student Union), the feminist movement and the labor’s unions protested the school today.

- OAB (Brazilian bar association) is also was against what happened.

- Both left and right wing media are supporting the girl.

Elaine says:
Thu, 12th Nov 20093:47 am

Everybody must read what Marina said. Its all true about my country and the real story about what really happen there with Geisy. Its such a shame to hear all that and to hear that others girls was calling and saying bad things to her.Its Horrible!!!