Saturday, September 12, 2020

Israel’s ‘shorts rebellion’: Schoolgirls’ protest reveals deeply divided society


CLOTHING AND HAIRSTYLE RESTRICTIONS LED TO STUDENT REBELLIONS ACROSS
HIGH SCHOOLS IN NORTH AMERICA IN THE SEVENTIES

Issued on: 11/09/2020 
Kai, Alma and Shaked, aged 13 to 14, fought for the right to wear shorts to school in Ra'anana, central Israel. © FRANCE 24

By:Clothilde MRAFFKO|Matthias SOMM

At the beginning of the summer, a group of female Israeli teenagers fought for the right to come to school wearing shorts. This seemingly minor battle in fact reveals a deep divide within Israeli society between secular and religious views

Amid a heatwave in Israel, 13-year-old Kai and her friends were sent home from school for wearing shorts deemed too short. The teenagers fought back and started a "shorts rebellion". All over the country, young women stood up for the right to dress as they wish.

While the "shorts rebellion" may appear anecdotal, these teenagers intend to counter the growing influence of religion. Their battle exposed one of the main fault lines of contemporary Israeli society: the opposition between secular and religious Israelis, with how women dress at the forefront of debate.

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