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Recently, while I was sitting in my third period block, the announcements came on as usual. The speaker addressed new dress code. It was the usual, any t-shirts or hats stating racists remarks, drug references, etc. Yet in the middle of him saying all these, was the word 'gay'. I immediately caught on. They couldn't possibly be banning gay clothing, I thought. So, at lunch, I promptly went down to the office to ask about this. I asked what they meant when addressing 'gay' in the dress code. The office secretary and school counselor then told me no student could wear 'gay' clothing. I asked what they meant by this. They then carried on that no student was allowed to wear ANYTHING that would have anything to do with gay pride, from a small rainbow flag on a tee-shirt to an upside-down triangle. I was furious, saying you cannot classify gay pride with drugs and racism. They told me it was basically the same category. Of course in the next week I continuously talked to the principal about it, saying that is homophobic and an infringement to our rights in a public school, that our right to freedom of speech isn't just dropped once we enter these doors, and that I can't believe the school would make such a homophobic decision. He denied it and said that 'there was nothing he could do' and had 'no idea it was ever decided'. Bullshit, right? I thought of getting help from the ACLU, and even from gay friend around the country saying they could travel down to the school, but I am deciding to just let it go. Yet, it still bothers me. Should I have done something? Do you think it was right as a public school to deny us our rights like this? Comment what you think please. :}
That's ridiculous; anti-gay school policies pepetuate poor self-esteem and even internal homo-negativity. I did a research paper about homosexuality and religion, and found out just how horrible the internal effects (or 'internal homo-negativity) can become.
Luckily for me, we have a guidance counseler who is obviously gay, and would never let such policies to be installed.
But as a student, I can tell you this truth: If I were in your shoes, I'd absolutely do something about this injustice.