As I sat among the rest of the student body watching the VHS that was buried in a time capsule for 25 years, something struck me as weird. Once upon a time, 25 years ago, the girls at our school were allowed to wear pants. We’re moving backwards, Patriots.

I don’t know what could have possessed the administration to write in stone that women could only wear skirts, but it’s horrible mistreatment. As we close in on the colder months of the year, I hear more and more of my classmates complain about how cold it is. The common factor? Everyone complaining is a girl.

Why are girls forced into a uniform consisting of a thin shirt with an undershirt, a skirt that doesn’t even extend to the knee, and, for the Patriots willing to put out the extra money, a sweatshirt.

Boys have a relaxed dress code, and we get three layers of warmth: an undershirt, a button-down, and a blazer or sweater. Plus, boys’ legs are covered with something more than the paper-thin fabric of leggings. There is nothing cruel about the boy’s dress code. Girls, though, can only cover a third of their legs during the cold winter months.

The girls’ uniform gives them two options for the same pricey shirt and a dull, gray skirt. Boys have the ability to express themselves, with several shirt and khaki color options.

For teenagers who are still growing, if your size changes you have to buy more pricey shirts and skirts. On the FlynnO’Hara website, a JC uniform skirt costs $46. It’s hard enough to find time when the school store is open, let alone be free at the same time and cough up the money for this pricey apparel.

There is no argument as to why girls don’t deserve more freedom when it comes to clothing options. Girls are no less responsible than boys, and they can handle the privileges of other clothing options. I understand the administration’s wanting to keep its students looking tidy, but I don’t see what’s so improper about pants. I just don’t see any argument at all.

If boys can wear them, girls should be able to as well. The female teachers that wear pants look just as professional as the ones wearing skirts, so I don’t see how the same concept doesn’t apply here. Girls should have different options in the cold winter months.

If girls get a more relaxed dress code, they can buy more affordable clothing and express themselves as freely as boys can while still maintaining a clean look. This also fixes the only problem I’ve heard with pants: that not many people bought them and the school store lost money. Giving the girls a relaxed dress code means they buy the pants somewhere else than the school store, and money isn’t a worry.

It’s time we stop moving backwards and give the girls back their pants just in time for winter, along with a dress code. If the boys can handle it, so can the girls. Girls are no less responsible than boys and no less worthy of self-expression.

Nick Miller is an A&E Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.