US2 min(s) read
Published 16:36 20 Dec 2020 GMT
A gay male high school student has delivered a powerful speech to his school's board after he was suspended for wearing nail polish.
On November 30, Clyde High School senior Trevor Wilkinson claims he was removed from class because he had chosen to decorate his fingernails with polish - something that Trevor says female students are allowed to do without consequence.
Writing on a Change.org petition - which has since amassed over 362,000 signatures - Trevor, 17, said he was now calling for the Texas school to "allow males to wear nail polish", as he labeled the current policy "a complete double standard".
Trevor - who describes himself as "a gay male and beyond proud" - also revealed that he was told he would remain in ISS (in-school suspension) until he removed the nail polish.
Now, KTXS Television reports that Trevor was invited by the school to attend a board meeting and share his views to board members.
On Monday (December 14), the teenager delivered a powerful speech, in which he told board members: "This isn't about me anymore. It's about a discriminatory, sexist policy that needs to be changed."
Watch Trevor's speech below:
[[facebookwidget||https://www.facebook.com/KTXSTelevision/videos/297445305014979]]
The student continued: "Why is it against dress code for a man to be comfortable with his masculinity and defy the gender norms society has imposed on us?
"Why is it harmful for me to wear nail polish? If it's not harmful for girls to wear it, why is it harmful for males?"
Trevor concluded his speech by calling for the right to self-expression:
"We're all supposed to be equal. Not having our freedom of expression suppressed, not having our voices not heard because grown-ups are taking three steps back instead of forward."
In response to the ongoing issue, the school's Superintendent, Kenny Berry, made the following statement after the meeting:
"As set out in Board policy, Clyde CISD believes students should attend school in a safe and supportive environment that promotes equality for all, and the District takes all appropriate measures to ensure its actions align with that policy.
"While the District expects students to abide by established rules of conduct, the District is also always open to reconsidering policies or rules that do not reflect the District’s intentions.
"To that end, the District will conduct a thorough review of its dress code when it performs its annual review of the Student Handbook and, until that time, the District will assure that no student is treated in a discriminatory or inequitable manner.
"Under federal and state law, the District cannot publicly comment on or discuss specific student matters.
"However, be assured that the District appreciates the feedback and input that has been recently received from members of the community."
Speaking to KTXS about the struggles of being gay in rural Texas, Wilkinson revealed that he has received negative comments from teachers, students, and administration, and lost relationships over his sexual orientation.
"I've had to survive my mom and dad not being in life. I've had to survive homophobic people. I've had to survive so many lost friendships and relationships with people because I'm simply gay," said Wilkinson.
