To Be Disrespectable in Speech and Debate

Panicked frenzy. These two words perfectly describe my state of mind on the morning of my first-ever extemporaneous speaking tournament as I shoved away piles of boxes and books in my closet in desperate search of my close-toed black heels. Of course, I did have another pair of navy heels that were more accessible, but they were open-toed, and wasn’t the recommendation to always wear close-toed shoes? What if my judge took points off for my shoes? It was better to be on the safe side and find those darn black heels. After that, I would have to comb down the flyaway hairs in the front of my ponytail for the umpteenth time and scour my drawers for just one more bobby pin.

Speech and Debate is the popular competitive sport of public speaking, acting, and debating. It is an activity meant to empower the next generation with confidence and oratorical skill, and in doing so, it changes the lives of many. As an extemporaneous speaker myself, I can state that it’s a remarkable feeling to know that your words are recognized and that people take them seriously. Even while we are teenagers, Speech and Debate gives us the power to speak up about topics that resonate strongly with us and create solutions to societal and political problems. However, it’s extremely ironic that an activity meant to empower also denies students the opportunity and right to express themselves completely without being called “disrespectable,” due to the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) and National Catholic Forensics League dress codes. In the 2022-2023 NSDA competition season, national original orator Myles Bell from Jackson-Reed High School delivered a groundbreaking speech titled “Disrespectful,” in which he addressed the restricting expectations placed on a performer, from attire to hair and mannerisms, and spoke on how to combat the privileges that certain groups—white, cisgender, heterosexual, males—receive, we must start performing in ways that reflect ourselves and support our words, rather than the unprogressive assumed guidelines of a polite immaculate speaker in a tailored black suit speaking with contained emotion.

For the majority of Speech and Debate categories, the dress code is “formal attire.” This entails a pantsuit, skirt suit, or blazer-dress pants combination. Close-toed shoes are not enforced but are highly encouraged by many schools. Hair is expected to be very neat, which includes no flyaway hairs and no pieces that stick out—bobby pins, hair spray, and straightening are recommended by schools to achieve this.

If one is unable to attain these, they are suggested to follow NSDA guidelines of being conservative, professional, and overall acceptable. Though not mandatory, dressing in formal attire is highly encouraged, so speakers and debaters still end up complying. Every competitor aims to advance in the competition and win, but winning often depends on how seriously the judges take you. Though judges are not supposed to discriminate based on looks, their decisions do often factor in whether you meet Eurocentric standards of “professional” attire. Therefore, school advisors and judges often require students to dress in typical formal attire and hair, so it doesn’t matter if the NSDA deems these as “suggestions” or not because the national system makes it impossible to achieve competitive success if you don’t follow them. According to the NSDA Professionalism Handbook, the goal of these suggestions is to build “credibility through appearance.” This is absolutely counterintuitive when compared with the purpose of Speech and Debate: to articulate and present your thoughts and information using words. Appearance should not matter in an activity where words are meant to be the vessel. In fact, this statement by the NSDA reinforces the idea that credibility is determined by looks, therefore implying that accuracy is affected by appearance. We as a society have progressed so much with every century, so it’s alarming that a fundamental flaw is present in one of our most progressive academic sports yet: associating looks with validity.

The first debate tournaments were held in Ripon College in May 1931, a time when casual racism, segregation, and racial inequality were abundant, and only white students could compete. Today, however, people of different ethnicities, races, genders, and backgrounds compete together. Therefore, while some might feel that a blazer and slacks enhance their professionalism, others might contend that a hanfu or sherwani makes them feel confident and professional. Additionally, students across this diverse spectrum have different hair types and cannot all conform to hairstyles considered “professional” by the NSDA. It is unfair for competitors to be expected to have their hair perfect, stiff, and “proper,” which is usually achieved by copious amounts of hairspray and straightening for those who are not born with idealistically straight, sleek hair. NSDA rules should be changed to reflect our inclusive environment today, and attire and hair are a critical part of it.

Original Oratory is a Speech and Debate category that has comparatively fewer dress code restrictions. To compete, students write, memorize, and present a 10-minute and 30-second speech that addresses a societal issue. However, expectations for appearance are still placed on performers, or else they are considered “disrespectable” by judges. This dress code completely conforms to European standards, but the U.S. is a multicultural melting pot. There should not be a dress code, whether it’s a guideline or not, because what makes a performer feel confident is never a one-size-fits-all. What should be encouraged for competitors, however, is dressing in a way that reflects their words, brings out their inner poise and strength, and expresses their character. Speech and Debate is meant to empower, not to restrict, and many people are left trying to overcome these barriers and fit into these specific expectations, changing so much of themselves in the process. To achieve this, we must all learn to be “disrespectable” and embrace the true purpose of Speech and Debate: empowerment through our words.