Fourth grade Atlanta teacher Patrice "Tricey" Brown has become an internet sensation practically overnight, but the reason isn't anyting you're expecting. Over the weekend, photos of her went viral on Twitter and Instagram and even triggered the hashtag #TeacherBae. It also sparked a ton of criticism online from folks who feel Brown dresses "too sexy" on the job. But is the problem really her dress or her curves?
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In the controversial photo, which has since been deleted from her Instagram, Brown is seen in the classroom wearing a pink form-fitting dress that hits right at the knee. The dress covers everything. There's no cleavage, no exposed back, and no thighs to be seen. And yet she's been called out a number of times on Twitter for supposedly dressing inappropriately for a fourth grade teacher. The things people have said are not only sexiest but arguably racist.
One Twitter user perfectly explained the real issue people seem to have with Brown's look: her curves. A picture of Brown in the dress was posted alongside two photos of models wearing the same exact dress on Asos.com.
Embedded content: https://twitter.com/kaaaydee__/status/776068702651416576
Let's be honest, if a white woman with a much less curvier figure wore this same exact dress, this wouldn't have even been an issue. The photos would have probably never gone viral and no one would have criticized the dress of being "inappropriate." But Brown's curvy body in the same dress suddenly makes it "too sexy." Unfortunately this is just another example of how women of color are constantly criticized for their bodies and their natural features. Serena Williams literally gets this all the time.
What's really upsetting about all this is the fact that Brown is being scrutinized for something she has no control over. She's not going to look like the models on Asos.com because she has a big butt, a full bust, and a tiny waist. So is she supposed to not wear a form-fitted pencil dress that a skinny woman wouldn't even have to think twice about, because she has a curvier build? That doesn't seem fair to me. Brown doesn't need to change the way she dresses to work. People need to change the way they view and judge women's bodies. Period.
Images via triceyl__/Instagram
