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World School Apologizes For Making Sikh Boy Shave

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A Melbourne school has apologised for making a Sikh boy shave against his religious beliefs.

The Sikh Federation says the order left the boy feeling depressed and embarrassed, and amounts to bullying.

The school's principal, who wants to be known only as Paul, to protect the boy's privacy, says the teacher involved did not know the school had earlier agreed not to make the boy shave.

"Our process has brought us to the conclusion that facial hair will be permitted by the Sikh boys at the school," he told ABC Local Radio.

"I apologise for any harm that he might have felt or any hurt that he might have felt. That's not our intention, to cause harm to anybody."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/31/3231606.htm?section=justin
 

Ishna

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My understanding is a lot of private schools have a dress code that doesn't allow facial hair for students, or long hair on boys, or hair kept out loose. It's part of the traditional discipline for these schools.

I'm not sure public schools have the same standards, and if they do, I'm not sure they would be able to enforce them.

FYI, most Australian schools have strict uniform codes as well, which I don't think are as common in America.
 

kds1980

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Why isn't facial hair permitted for other boys at the school? WTH?

In the era of equality Men have forgotten about their rights.keep Religion aside
a Girl can wear her hair as she like and if someone try to dictate it they are the one to use gender card.On the other hand the entire world force men to keep their hair short and clean shave your face , a typical Gentelman's look which white's invented
 

Ishna

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Actually there are lots of private schools here which dictate their female students must keep their hair tied back while at school, and they must wear the skirts provided with their school uniform. So my understanding with these schools is it's very much a two-way street.

As a humerous side note, my senior high school uniform was entirely white. I had a pushbike as my primary mode of transport at the time. I was sent to lunch time detention quite a few times for wearing jeans to school instead of my purely white uniform pants. I had many a shouting argument asking the teachers if they would make their own menstruating daughters ride a bike to school in white pants? But alas, I still lost the argument and spent many a lunch hour in the detention room.

And they say I have a problem with authority, *snicker *.

Oh, and mine was a PUBLIC school, not even private which is much stricter here.
 

kds1980

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Actually there are lots of private schools here which dictate their female students must keep their hair tied back while at school, and they must wear the skirts provided with their school uniform. So my understanding with these schools is it's very much a two-way street.

As a humerous side note, my senior high school uniform was entirely white. I had a pushbike as my primary mode of transport at the time. I was sent to lunch time detention quite a few times for wearing jeans to school instead of my purely white uniform pants. I had many a shouting argument asking the teachers if they would make their own menstruating daughters ride a bike to school in white pants? But alas, I still lost the argument and spent many a lunch hour in the detention room.

And they say I have a problem with authority, *snicker *.

Oh, and mine was a PUBLIC school, not even private which is much stricter here.

India has same schooling system Girls are also told to tie,but Tieing and cutting are two different things.Why boys are not allowed to keep beards?
Is it because what it is against what the white men invented The genetlman's image also what about hair again boys are told to keep their short ? The fact is world has not shed the Gentleman's image which they created but for women it is different.

If there is photo of world's top men and women working in top positions of various company then barring sikh men(if any) all men will appear in same dress ,hairstyle but for women you may find some in short hair ,some in long,some Indian women may wear saree too
 

Ishna

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In Western culture, beards on men haven't been popular for a long time. Facial hair is looked down upon. The act of shaving is seen as an expression of caring for ones personal hygiene and wanting to look respectable. When I was growing up my mum used to tell me that men who had beards had something to hide (ie. they were not to be trusted). And I guess this idea that a man is less for not "taking care" of his facial hair has been projected upon and hence taken up by other cultures, unfortunately.

Today, I see in my culture that facial hair on men seems to be restricted to a couple of groups: older men seem to be entitled to a short trimmed beard no problems. Younger men (less than say 55) are stereotyped as low-life sorts, druggies, bikers, etc. For example, I encourage my husband to grow his facial hair although he is not a Sikh, and he's been approached by people on the street either trying to buy or sell weed! That might be due to his tattoos though... haha. It is acceptable to grow a beard if you're going to be acting in a play, and once the play is over, you are highly praised by your wife and co-workers for removing it (saw it recently - co-worker was in an Easter play, I was sad when he shaved it off, now he looks like a wuss!).

I talk about Sikhi with some coworkers (all Westerners) and they all cringe at kesh, and some are as bold as to say they see beards as dirty - food and dead skin gets trapped in them. All I can do is sigh and say it depends on the care you put into it.

There is a Western tradition of keep the head hair short (I don't think Christian men are allowed to grow their hair long, they have to keep it short, because long hair is for women only but don't quote me cos I don't have a source for it, I just heard it somewhere on my travels). Look at the military, for example.

When it comes to the world having not shed the Gentleman's image but for women it's different... I think the priority in the West is for the woman to make herself attractive. Perhaps she looks (or thinks she looks) more attractive with a short hair cut. We have the feminists and lesbians to thank for it to be socially acceptable for women to cut their hair super short, which I think has only been acceptable recently (last few decades). Whereas men are "supposed" to keep their hair short and utilitarian. Their hair is seen to have no purpose, I think.

Having said that, I think Western popular culture is softening to men's hairstyles. You don't have to have a crew cut anymore!

As for men's fashion... I haven't given it much thought, really. It is very funny at my Gurdwara wher 98% on women wear salwar kameez, but only 5% of men (usually the granthis / gyani jis) will wear.. um.. traditional male dress (sorry don't know what it's called!). The rest of the men are in slacks and shirts, or jeans and t-shirts (depending on their age).

I don't know much about men's fashion trends... I never thought men would be unhappy with the "societal norm" of dress in the West, but that is simply ignorance on my part.

What do the other sardar jis here think?
 

kds1980

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There is a Western tradition of keep the head hair short (I don't think Christian men are allowed to grow their hair long, they have to keep it short, because long hair is for women only but don't quote me cos I don't have a source for it, I just heard it somewhere on my travels). Look at the military, for example.

It is same everywhere barring ancient civilizations,some Hindu kings,saints all men use to keep their short.

When it comes to the world having not shed the Gentleman's image but for women it's different... I think the priority in the West is for the woman to make herself attractive. Perhaps she looks (or thinks she looks) more attractive with a short hair cut. We have the feminists and lesbians to thank for it to be socially acceptable for women to cut their hair super short, which I think has only been acceptable recently (last few decades). Whereas men are "supposed" to keep their hair short and utilitarian. Their hair is seen to have no purpose, I think.

Again it is everywhere the same we all want to be praise from society so both sex try to look good.Anyway My question why everywhere these traditions are imposed on boys when Girls got rid of them.Personal choice, freedom goes both ways.If a boy want to sport beard then why the school stop him irrespective of Religion? Girls,women are not forced to keep their hair long then why to stop boys?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1220782/Why-men-love-beards-women-hate-them.html

Here is an article that men love beard but women hate them
 

Ishna

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Australian legislation does say that a parent can write to the school for an exemption to the dress code on religious grounds (and other grounds but I won't list them here).

The schools which have these kinds of dress codes are usually private, in Australian usually Christian.

Public schools here don't usually have a policy about facial hair for boys... some of the stiff teachers will pass their opinion to the boys who usually don't care and don't listen.

Private schools do still enforce a dress code on females, as you have agreed, they have to keep their hair tied back, wear skirts, etc. I don't know why society allows girls to cut their hair short now but still holds on to an idea that men (or at least adolescent boys) need to keep clean shaven. I guess some sections of society just haven't let go of the idea that for a man to be responsible he should shave his face, and so they try to instill that character in adolescent boys.

There is no such character-building attachment for a woman to have long hair.
 

Ishna

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Oh, and when you're used to kissing your clean shaven husband it can take some getting used to kissing him with a beard! It's spikey until it grows long enough and feels really strange on your face until you get used to it. Just FYI. :grinningkaur:
 

Ishna

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And perhaps the following are some factors in Western culture:

1. busy mum's cut their hair short so it's quickly manageable.
3. children look at their parents, and if dad doesn't have a beard, the son is probably not going to want a beard. Similarly, if mum has short hair, the daughter might want short hair, depending how much she likes Barbie and Disney...
2. some women view long hair as old-fashioned. I was wearing my long hair in a braid from the back of my neck to work every day for over a year. I had a crisis, cut my hair and wore it to work out, wild and free. One of my bosses praised me and said my previous hair-do looked terribly old-fashioned. (Stuff you lady, it's back safely and securely in it's braid now! hehe)
4. little girls with long hair can be hard for busy mum's to manage. More easily accepted by society for girls to have short hair.

I dunno. Just some thoughts.
 
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kds1980

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Private schools do still enforce a dress code on females, as you have agreed, they have to keep their hair tied back, wear skirts, etc. I don't know why society allows girls to cut their hair short now but still holds on to an idea that men (or at least adolescent boys) need to keep clean shaven. I guess some sections of society just haven't let go of the idea that for a man to be responsible he should shave his face, and so they try to instill that character in adolescent boys.

There is no such character-building attachment for a woman to have long hair.

This clearly shows That society believe That men with beard are savages ,No freedom for men to choose important part of their masculinity.As long as this attitude prevails Sikh men all over the world will keep facing discrimination even if they get freedom to keep beard on Religious ground
 

kds1980

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children look at their parents, and if dad doesn't have a beard, the son is probably not going to want a beard.

Children often get more influenced by fashion,40-50 years back almost all sikh men sport beard yet their sons started trimming it and these days almost 80% are clean shaven I am sure if footballers will start keeping beards then may be their will be boys who want to keep beards
 

Ishna

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Yes, you're right, society sees men who keep beards as "less civilised" than those who shave. Just like society views women with body hair as dumb, careless and dirty. Unfortunately it's not likely to change in a hurry as has been discussed in other threads, societal change happens gradually as more and more people make the shift.

Children can be influenced by fashion and by parents. I, unfortunately, always dressed like my mother and still have no clue on fashion. Thank Guruji for my sheltered upbringing, haha.
 

findingmyway

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World citizen!
Here is an article that men love beard but women hate them

Not everywhere. A lot of English women prefer men with beards as without a beard the man looks too boyish!

Yes, you're right, society sees men who keep beards as "less civilised" than those who shave.

This attitude seems more prevalent in Australia than anywhere else I have lived. No or less hair is glorifed in Australia as isn't shaving the head an annual cancer fundraiser?
 

Ishna

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Yes, shaving your head or colouring your hair is an annual cancer fundraiser here.

We also promote Movember, though, the fundraiser for men's depression awareness.
 
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