Justin Reynolds, an 11th grader, showed up at Dunnellon High School dressed in a V-neck T-shirt, blue jeans and high-heeled boots, accentuated by earrings and a necklace and sporting eyeliner and mascara.

The 16-year-old student, who is gay, said he ran the idea by his teacher a day before.

She discouraged it but gave him the chance to address his classmates that morning, reports the Ocala Star Banner

Reynolds says school officials seemed especially uncomfortable with his wearing a bra stuffed with padding underneath his shirt.

Evidently so.

He was asked to leave school for the day and was out the door by 11 a.m.

You know, rules and all that. Seems the Marion County Code of Student Conduct states that students must dress "in keeping with their gender."

Reynolds pointed out to school officials that lesbians at his school dress "like boys" whenever they please, so how are they exempt?

He said he'd come to school dressed as a female at least once every two weeks if he could. "I just feel comfortable like that," he said.

Should Justin be allowed to dress as a girl at school?

You decide.

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/specials/weirdflorida/blog/2009/04/school_sends_boy_home_for_dres_1.html

Who has the final say as to how one dresses "in keeping with their gender???" That must suck for the boys cause girls can wear dresses, pants, shorts, etc...

What's your take?

I think that what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Pants are traditionally "mens" clothing. If they are not going to allow the boy to wear a skirt, girls shouldn't be allowed to wear pants.

Now, is it disruptive in the classroom for a boy to dress "like a girl?" Of course, for about the first day then people get used to it, something new comes along then it's old news.

I think kids who are not in uniforms, as long as they dress conservatively, (non-violent, non-sexually explicit), should be able to wear what they want. Girls get so much leeway expressing themselves through fashion, and if boys want to as well, then they should.

I don't see what the problem is. Teens and their clothing have always been for a statement of some kind. Either they want to be different or they want to show how alike they can be. I was a rebel in high school so I did not conform.

That schoo is wrong for sending him home. They are supposed to teach children and the only message they sent with this is intolerance.

I just see it as another form of losing our own individual rights to choose.

Maybe I am just to dog gone independent, that I like to think for myself and am getting pretty sick of others trying to do the thinking for me

I'd get tired of how uncomfortable my underwire bra was, and I'd certainly get tired of the constant Atomic Wedgie from my thong.

but think of how sexy you'd look if thong bother you, your using the wrong size burn the bra

Of course being gay, it would be expected for me to comment so here goes:

I have to wonder when are we humans going to grow up or grow out of plain simple ignorance. What does it say when we are afraid of a boy dressing as a girl? Something wrong with girls?

If a girl dresses as a boy, something wrong with boys? Oh my why would you want to dress like a inferior girl? Why would you want to let people see you dressed like a guy. All stupid ignorant statements I have heard time and again. And most of the time people misread anyway. There are more women here where I live that look more gay than I do, but they are straight.

A lady accidentally thought I was a man the other day, she spent an hour apologizing. I kept saying why are you apologizing, any one might have thought I was a man because I have short hair, I dress casually more on the male side and always have. I was wearing a baseball cap and fixing a lawn mower. Seems appropriate when I am more attracted to things traditionally done by males. You'd have to drag me kicking and screaming to a dress shop. Many straight women feel the same, so what?


Heaven forbid women might actually love to do things that are traditionally male. And heaven forbid men should be seen cooking or cleaning or anything traditionally done by women. When do we begin to see the actual diversity in nature and stop fighting it?

I have a friend here who is male and prefers to hang out with women, he can cook and I can't. So freaking what? I repaired his sagging floor and he baked me a cake. I was happy he was happy.

Unbelievable that we put so much blind ignorant focus on what's between ones legs.

We don't have to think long and hard to know where all this nonsense came about. It's all about control and always has been.

I shared the story because I find it quite ridiculous and I didn't know you were gay (but I do now )

A person's sexual orientation nor preference is not my business - to each their own.

Think it was wrong for this school to send this boy home because of how he was dressed. see below



Like all other laws and news articles being discussed here recently -everything is open to interpretation. The dress code reads: "in keeping with their gender."

Then just being politically correct, girls should not wear pants

I am glad you did post it, Fran. I think it's important to show this stuff for what it is. Nonsense!

Public schools is a local issue governed by an elected school board!!!!! If you dont like whats happening in your schools get involved!!! Its pretty simple.....They are not taking rights from me they are taking rights from you!!!!

Just sharing news temptler - have no school age kids

it's unjust and discriminatory - and I'm not gonna keep quiet

boy I sure am complaining a lot lately

I just hear people complaining about the schools and it wasnt directed at you Mine too is grown but I never had a problem with the schools she attended. I went to some not all school board meetings, attend PTO meetings and was knowledgeable of all her teachers. Schools are taking alot of flack when in all honesty you have a right to know everything that happens in them.....

Complaining isn't always a bad thing, it keeps us informed. I would wonder how many parents would actually stand behind this boy though, considering was don't always evolve to quickly

My true problem is seeing all our rights and choices being dictated for us

I can see a school having a dress code outright single out a boy/girl is wrong. Not to mention the verbage on dress code, "in keeping with their gender." this is open to personal interpretation.

Complaining to the right people does do some good..School boards are elected and depend on your vote..Its a reflection of your community. What you might deem right in your community, mine might not! As for the story, I find nothing wrong with what the kid did. I raised my child not to judge others based on appearance or sexuality...I WOULD GET INVOLVED and let my voice be heard!!! When the voting numbers are around %60 How many people are involved?

There is an interesting phrase in the policy "in keeping with their gender." This opens the options up doesn't it? Would a boy attending classes in a kilt, which is in keeping with the male gender, in a very traditional way be sent home?

There is a double standard in attire. Girls clearly have an advantage in being able to choose either dresses or pants. Why should boys be penalized and their choices limited purely because of gender? Isn't that sexual discrimination?

When I was in elementary school girls were not allowed to wear pants. I remember some really uncomfortable long walks to school in my dress with only heavy tights to protect my legs.

When they allowed us to start wearing pants in the fifth grade I celebrated!

It was unfair to require girls wear only dresses then and it is unfair that boys wear only pants.

Hot Dang!!
Is it time to throw away the Bras again?? I loved it when it happened the first time.
I see another law suit challenging the dress code and I don't think they'll make girls go back to dresses only.