Another gender non-conforming high school student, another stupid “controversy” about whether she should be allowed to wear a tuxedo in her high school year book photo. Like Mississippi’s Ceara Sturgis — who was scrubbed from her yearbook completely — lesbian teen Sarah Lloyd didn’t want to wear something frilly in front of the camera. And her Marion High School school board decided that’s all right.
That issues like this must even waste the time of a school board remains appalling, but at least the Crittenden County School Board came to the right decision: students should be able to dress in whatever apparel they choose for their yearbook photos, so long as it’s nothing offensive.
Originally Sarah was told by her principal she couldn’t wear a tux — not because she’s gay, insists Superintendent Don Johnston, but because of tradition, where girls wear drapes and only boys wear tuxes. “If we got away from that what would be next?,” says Johnston, triggering the inevitable ridiculous snowfall effect. “Would we have someone who was a baseball player and say I want to take my picture wearing a uniform? Or someone who says I’m a cowboy. I want to wear a cowboy outfit.” (Retorts Sarah, who regularly wears “boy’s clothes”: “I’m not trying to do anything drastic like wear a Mardi Gras outfit.”) Ah yes, because gender identity is the same thing as joining a sports team.
Except Johnston was the one who apparently changed his mind, telling the school board it should permit Sarah to wear the tux. The school board voted unanimously to let Sarah break the rules. [KSPR]
How about we take this to the next level?
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the crustybastard
Kids today! Sheesh.
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SpiffyShindigs
I’m surprised that this is still an issue at all. My old high school let the entire senior class wear tiaras in our photos.
Though they did draw the line at two students next to each other alphabetically have “PO” and “OP” written on their cheeks.
Charlie
We had people wear whatever the hell they wanted in the yearbook photos. Snakes, a Scream mask, it’s your photo do what you want.
yay living in Cali’s bay area
Umm
Ummm…are we ever allowed to acknowledge that gay men just want to be women and that gay women just want to be men? No? Like, we can’t say the obvious? Not allowed? Mmmmkay.Let’s develop abstruse alternative hypotheses. I’m sure everyone else will come along.
Laconic Coil
I can wear a tux and still be quite, quite female. I can wear a dress and quietly curse that I look like utter crap in frills.
I’d rather be dashing than blushing. Plus, hello, BOW TIE.
BenR
I’m still baffled that there are high schools that require uniforms like this. At my high school (I graduated in 2005), seniors got their professional senior pictures (or any other high quality picture they had of themselves) in the yearbook, and everyone else got the standard “Stand in line, now sit down and smile for the camera” ones, with no dress code for either.