Gay fashion student kicked out of school event for not dressing ‘appropriately’
A gay fashion student was kicked out of his former school 133rd birthday event after being told to his clothing was “inappropriate”, reports Gay Star News.
Angus McCormack went back to Girton Grammar School for the birthday event but as soon as he walked in, wearing a black jacket, a bow tie and black leather trousers, the deputy headmaster told him to leave as he was “inappropriately dressed.” But according to McCormack, he thought he was “toning it down”.
McCormack took to Facebook to announce the bad news and wrote:
“It is with great sadness that I write to tell you about such an outrageous and disgraceful event in which I was involved on Friday 6 May.”
He explains how his father asked him to accompany him to the event as he was on the school board. When McCormack’s father informed the school that Angus was coming, the school asked for Angus to wear “appropriate attire” for the event.
“Now, those who know me are fully aware that I am openly gay and very confident in my often ‘bold’ choices of fashion,” McCormack writes on Facebook.
“(I was originally considering rocking a dress and some killer heels!) However, I decided to “tone down” my appearance and be respectful of their wishes. Therefore I decided to wear minimal makeup, a single small earring, neat black leather pants, a white shirt with a black bow tie and black designer jacket.”
“A suit by any definition of the word, although not in the typical commercial fabrics. Upon my arrival at the Cathedral, after greeting a lot of excited staff and students on my way in, I was approached by the deputy head at the aisle and without even greeting me she told me I was “inappropriately dressed” and commanded that I “leave the event.”
McCormack said he left to avoid “further embarrassment” while his father stayed to help as he had several duties but has now resigned from the school board. He continues, saying how he has an “outstanding amount of support and encouragement from a lot of family and friends.”
“My family and I are incredibly hurt by the actions, which have been exercised against me and despite trying to remain my bubbly and confident self, this is eating away at the core of who I am, not to mention the utter sense of despair I have suffered in being turned away by the school with which I was once so proud to be associated with.”
“Since I have not been contacted by anyone currently at the school let alone received any remote form of apology or acknowledgement, I have decided it is time to take things further. I am not only seeking fair treatment for myself, but I also want to fight for all those people out there who don’t have a voice, who don’t know who they are and who can’t openly express themselves.”
He adds that: “It’s 2016! This kind of discrimination against any person regardless of their gender, race, sexual orientation or beliefs is utterly appalling. Funnily enough, the school seems to believe that this issue will disappear and not affect their reputation or enrolments.”
Speaking to News Corporation, Girton Grammar School’s Headmaster Matthew Maruff says that the suggestions that McCormack was turned away for “looking gay” and a victim of discrimination are “rubbish.”
“These are our standards and I am not going to apologise for that,” he said. “It’s not about self expression – he got it wrong on the night.”
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