"Women of great heart and right conscious."
I repeatedly heard this phrase throughout the four years of my high school career. This is what my small, Catholic, all-girl school stood for, and it was what all of us young ladies took so much pride in. I attended a high school that's focus was, and still is, to help young women flourish. All the teachers and staff had good intentions; unfortunately, what they thought was best for us students was not always the case, and this problem still persists.
During sophomore year, everyone is required to enroll in a semester of LCV, Love Choices and Vocations. On the school website, it is described as a course in which "students consider vocation options as they study about the development of mature and permanent life choices. Through an exploration of such topics as religious vocation, authentic love and commitment, values and character development and family responsibilities, students learn what it means to live honestly and with respect and compassion for others." Seems promising, but truthfully, this was the most demeaning course I have ever taken.
LCV was taught in an incredibly sexist manner that has proven to be harmful to the minds of growing, young ladies. Along with the sexism, the class dismissed all none heterosexual relationships and premarital relations, both prevalent things at my high school. I understand that my school was trying to conform to Catholic values, but apart from this class, my school was very progressive, which did not add up.
A petition was recently started, by one of the current students at my former high school, addressing why this class is problematic. The petition claims that in LCV, "girls are instructed that sexual activity is indicative of poor character, that respectable girls should not engage in sexual activity, and that dressing 'immodestly' is unfair to men because they cannot control themselves." The person who started this petition goes on to mention that, "clearly these lessons are extremely problematic for both sexes because they promote victim blaming, slut shaming and clear-cut sexism."
This class made me lose a lot of confidence in who I was. I began to question the decisions I made in my personal life and, therefore, question myself. I was confused why I was being shamed for my bra strap showing, or my skirt being "too short." We ladies were being slut-shamed and coerced to believe that we are responsible for guys' poor decisions. This not only lowered self-esteem, but it also promoted rape culture.
I would like to congratulate the young lady who started the petition as well as everyone who stood with her. It is crucial for the school to change what is taught in LCV. This course could be truly rewarding, but what is taught in it, must be reconsidered.
