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Watch the Gay Texas Teen Who Was Suspended For Wearing Nail Polish Challenge the School Board
"If it’s not harmful for girls to wear it, why is it harmful for males?"
A Texas high schooler is fighting for his freedom of expression after he was suspended for wearing nail polish to school.
Earlier this month, the internet rallied around Clyde High School senior Trevor Wilkinson when the news broke that he received an in-school-suspension for wearing nail polish. After sharing his experience on social media, he quickly went viral, and his Change.org petition, "Allow males to wear nail polish," currently has over 350,000 signatures.
On Monday, Wilkinson went to a school board meeting to defend himself and to challenge the "discriminatory" rule.
"This isn’t about me anymore, it’s about a discriminatory, sexist policy that needs to be changed," Wilkinson told the Clyde Independent School District board. "I got my education taken away from me for something as minor as painting my nails because it’s against the dress code."
"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?" the openly gay student asked. "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?"
According to Wilkinson, prior to this incident, the ACLU had already sent a letter to the school district that the dress code might violate civil rights laws.
"Having a double standard like this only shows that Clyde doesn’t accept kids for who they are and they shouldn’t be themselves because the very people that are supposed to create a safe environment can’t accept them."
He added, "It’s not too late to be on the right side of history and I dare ask you guys to join. I understand that you guys have traditional values and I respect that, but to get respect you also have to give it. America is progressing, we’re staying up-to-date with trends, we’re modernizing as a whole and nothing will stop that."
"Traditional values are great, but change is inevitable. At what point do we look at the bigger picture and realize that this isn’t 50 years ago? 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."
"Diversity is what makes this country so beautiful," Wilkinson concluded.
It's doesn't look like the school board is convinced. In a statement, Superintendent Kenny Berry doubled down that "the District expects students to abide by established rules of conduct" and no dress code changes would be considered before the district’s "annual review of the Student Handbook."
"Until that time, the District will assure that no student is treated in a discriminatory or inequitable manner."
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Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
