Should all people be treated fairly (reguardless of how they dress)?

Question

I would like to use some of your responses/debates/ideas in my English paper for school. what are your opinoins.

Something I've already heard:
You should change the way you dress to look like everyone else. (this is one spoken to the people that wear black in my Sociology class.)

My Response:
Why must WE change how we look? Isn't that the same as us asking you to dress in black so you look like us? AND if dress adds to our individuality, why do you want to take it from us?

There is my protion. 3. 2. 1. DEBATE! Go! State Your Opinion. Please and thanks for helping me!

Answer 1

I think you're asking two questions:

1) should everyone be treated FAIRLY regardless of how they dress? And I think the answer is: yes. No one should be treated unfairly (not that it doesn't happen, I'm just saying ideally everyone would be treated fairly).
2) Should we treat people differently because the way they dress? And I think the answer is: yes. You don't have to be unfair but you also don't have to be buddies with someone who's obviously dressed in a manner at odds with your personality.

For example: let's say you're a huge Bears fan and you're hanging out at a superbowl party and someone comes in wearing a Colts jersey. You have to treat that person fairly: you don't cut in line in front of him, you'd treat him with at least the same decency as any human is entitled to; but at the same time you wouldn't befriend him. His dress obviously tells you that he's at odds with you over something important to you.

At least, that's how I'm reading your question. Maybe I'm reading too much into it.

Answer 2

No. The way you dress says a lot about who and what you are. Your dress has am impact on your attitude in a lot of situations. Your dress has a huge impact on how you treat other people as well.

As obvious an example, suppose you go to a hospital emergency room and you see two hospital employees (you determined they were employees by the way they were dressed) One employee is wearing blue coveralls and the other is wearing standard hospital scrubs. Which one are you going to tell that you need help?

We all do it, even if it is subconsciously, we judge people by the way they are dressed. If you see a guy wearing jeans and a flannel shirt, what does that make you think of. If you see a guy wearing a black tuxedo, how does your image change? Same thing for girls. If you see a girl wearing tight, short-short, jean shorts and a tight t-shirt, what do you think of. Or a girl wearing an evening dress. How are each of these people going to be treated if they walk into a store?

Yesterday, I walked into a car parts store with an old greasy battery out of my car. I was wearing a nice long sleeve oxford style shirt and nice jeans. The guy at the counter quickly offered to help with the battery. If I had been wearing old greasy clothes, would he have been so quick to help with the battery? I doubt it.

Clothes definitely make an impression. People judge us by what we wear. There are no two ways around it. You can say that it shouldn't be that way, but making that statement is not going to change the way people are inherently.

Answer 3

Dressing in store bought clothes could never add to individuality, since they are mass produced. Now if you made your own clothes I would agree that such a thing adds individuality. The fact is though, our generation is just opening a door for possibilities down the road... though we may never see the outcome, the fact that most of us strive to be unique will inturn change how the next generation views these ways. My personal opinion is that clothing, and also tattoos and piercings, should never effect social conversations, ability to land a job, or cause someone to be singled out. Maybe down the road all of society will view things this way, but as of now people reject what they don't understand, and also reject things that they cannot relate to. The fact is, this society is so mixed up in worrying about fashion, uniqueness and such other things, that it will never come to grasp with certain things because people are always debating everything, rather then thinking it out. Not enough open minded people in this world.

Answer 4

I'd say pay more attention to your sociology class. People classify us into groups by our appearance, in an even more extreme way when we are young and we don't have the experience to judge based on other things. Dressing like the other people who wear black pretty much tells people who don't and who maintain a high school mentality that you think of yourself as Goth or something like that, and so are outside of their group, whatever that might be. So of course you will be treated like that.

As you get older and people start to judge you more based on who you are, dressing a certain way will be less important to you, but still, if you wear somewhat stylish expensive clothes, you will be treated better on the street. We never really escape the first impressions that people are so willing to have about us based on how we look.

Answer 5

I am not sure that there will ever be a time when all people are treated EQUALLY, however, I do feel that everyone should be treated fairly. In regards to being treated equally: If someone goes to a job interview and is dressed professionally, well versed, and very qualified, it's likely he will be treated differently than someone who does otherwise. However, if someone walks into the interview dressed in a unique fashion, and is better qualified for the job, the fair and just thing to do would be to hire that person.

Answer 6

The way one dresses is the way one wants to be perceived. If you dress in all black with died black hair you apparently want to perceived as dark and brooding. If one dresses in a suit and very clean cut you want to look successful and business oriented......and so on. As being treated fairly sure. However, the way you dress is going to more often than not predetermine the respondents point of view. Therefor prejudicing the way you will be initially treated before anyone can get to know you.

Answer 7

the word in your question that is throwing everone off, is 'fairly'

should everyone be treated *equally* depending on how they're dressed? no

clothes send a message. even if you're poor, you can select clothes from goodwill or kmart that are not offensive to others, and are somewhat dignified

but if someone is dressed like a thug, or a sl ut, are we not supposed to notice?

or for that matter, what about someone who is always pompously overdressed?

or the older woman, that dresses like a teenager? (mutton dressed as lamb, an old expression)

it really is irrational for people to dress in a manner that calls attention to themselves, then complain about the attention it draws

in any human endevor, there are strong and weak ways of doing things

Answer 8

Sure, but I also consider it a sign of respect to wear what's appropriate in quite a few cases. Funerals, job interviews, weddings, and when you have to attend a "formal" event like award ceremonies or presentations. I find that a black pant suit covers all but the wedding, which I have a brown dress for. All the rest of my clothes are chosen for comfort, fit and enjoyment.

Answer 9

of course people who dress differently should be treated the same..but this will never happen..good example of what happened to me today..I work a 3-11 shift. Took my kid shopping today,no make-up,jeans,kinda wore out looking. Not one person came to help me and this was when the store just opened and there was hardly anyone there.Yea, its a shame but that's the way it is.People judge you by the way you look.

Answer 10

In a civilized society, we should strive to be peacable and helpful to all. In our dress, we make a statement. What statement does your dress say about you? Is it in keeping with the society's general guidelines? If not, why? Being modern human beings, we now know we live for others than just ourselves. We definitely should keep ourselves from dressing in a way that would offend those in the society in which we live. There is still much room left for creative expression! :)