A high school student from Florida has opened up about being banned from her prom for wearing a suit instead of a dress.
Sophie Savidge, a sixteen-year-old from Mason Classical Academy in Naples was allegedly excluded from her prom after she turned up to the event wearing a black suit with a deep sage-colored waistcoat and matching tie.
As per NBC News, Savidge was turned away from a night of fun with their friends due to their 'fit, which left her feeling upset.
The teen was told to change into a dress if she wanted to come in.
“I was so upset,” Savidge's mom Holly told NBC News on Wednesday. "I said, ‘Sophie doesn’t wear dresses. She doesn’t like to wear dresses - it’s just not her.’ And [the vice principal] said, 'Well, unfortunately, those are the rules.'"
When asked why she picked a suit, Savidge responded that she "didn't think it would be a problem."
After the incident raised some intense backlash, the school released a statement stating that it has "clear dress code guidelines for all dances."
"The dress codes are clearly presented and outlined to all students and parents," the statement read. "Any student who shows up to an MCA dance and does not abide by the dress code is given the opportunity to return to the dance in the proper attire. All students are treated equally at MCA and are welcome and encouraged to attend these voluntary events."
This isn't the first time we've seen an incident of this nature happening.
Last year, a non-binary student was denied entry to their own high school dance because they decided to wear a suit to the function instead of a dress.
Taking to Instagram, B Hayes posted a picture of themselves outside of the venue holding a sign that read: "They wouldn’t let me in because I’m in a suit."
The photo was accompanied by a caption that delved into the details of the incident, including the student's personal feelings about the issue.
"I’m 18 years old and I’ve been attending Nashville Christian School for 13 years. My senior prom was today and I wasn’t allowed in the doors because I was wearing a suit."
They continued: "I should not have to conform to femininity to attend my senior prom. I will not compromise who I am to fit in a box. Who are you to tell us what it means to be a woman?"
However, Hayes was avenged by the local community of Nashville after local business owner Marcie Allen Van Mol heard the story.
Van Mol contacted the student and organized a dance on behalf of them. Other local businesses also joined the revolution and pitched in to make it a special occasion.
A GoFundMe page was also set up to raise awareness about the issue and managed to raise over $38,000.
In the wake of the controversy, the school released a statement emphasizing its rules around dress code.
In a statement to NPR, the school said it “has established dress requirements for daily school attendance and at our special events”.
It went on to say: “All students and families are aware of and sign an agreement to these guidelines when they enroll. Expectations regarding appropriate prom attire were communicated to this student and the student’s family in advance of the prom.”
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