School Blocks Transgender Student's Tuxedo Yearbook Picture For 'Community Stand

[DriftingCrow]

School Blocks Transgender Student's Tuxedo Yearbook Picture For 'Community Standards'
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/14/transgender-tuxedo-yearbook_n_4269843.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices
Author: Lila Shapiro Source: Huffington Post

When Jeydon Loredo, a transgender student at La Feria Independent High School near the Texas Gulf Coast, wore a tuxedo for his high school yearbook senior photo in September, the school principal told him it wouldn't be included because it violated "community standards."

All students sit for two photos -- one with casual clothing, and one in formal attire. For boys, that means a tuxedo; for girls, it's drapes of fabric or blouses. Loredo asked the photographer if it would be okay to wear the tux. She said she had no problem with it, but suggested he ask the teacher in charge of the yearbook. The teacher kicked the question to the principal, who said it wouldn't be allowed.

[The Southern Poverty Law Center is threatening the sue the school district in federal court for civil rights violations].

Transgender and queer students have successfully sued schools in similar circumstances.

[Jill F]

Texas.  Why am I not surprised...

This is discrimination, plain and simple.  I hope the SPLC unleashes my friend David Dinielli upon them!

[suzifrommd]

This is a violation of federal anti-discrimination guidelines.

[Yukari-sensei]

I cannot say how angry this makes me... I know La Feria, I drive through that town frequently.  We would play against them when I was in high school! I honestly thought the Rio Grande Valley, for all of its problems, would at least be more progressive on issues like these.

Then again if that were true, I would still be a high school teacher instead of getting a degree in a more tolerant field.

[Yukari-sensei]

This is a violation of federal anti-discrimination guidelines.

But this is Texas Suzi, we have a history of ignoring Federal guidelines... for goodness sake, my landlord could unilaterally terminate my lease because I'm transgender... and it's perfectly legal to do so in Texas.

Admittedly we do have some civilized places in the state, but aside from the obvious places (Austin, Houston, Dallas, El Paso, San Antonio - working on it) it's really variable and hard to judge how bad the situation is unless you are actively "out" and fail to "pass".

[Ludwig]

(The mother of the student's) conversation with the superintendent made her more upset. "He said that it was going against 'community standards,'" she recalled. He did offer one possible solution: her son's photos could be retaken if he wore a girl's blouse, or a drape of fabric, like the girls in his class.

If this wasn't so sad it would be laughable.

[Yukari-sensei]

Thank you RGV! I'm proud that we can do the right thing, when in so many other places they can't.

He can have his photo in the tux in the yearbook.


http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=972169#.UobN5EDa7V4