A transgender teenager in Mississippi skipped her high school graduation instead of being forced to attend in 'boy clothes'. The student—identified as "L.B."—was informed abruptly that she would need to be wearing 'boy clothes' under her graduation gown, rather than the dress and heels she planned on wearing.
L.B.'s family immediately filed a lawsuit against Harrison County School District. But it was struck down by a federal judge before the teen's graduation. L.B. and her family were represented by the American Civil Liberties Union.
The lawsuit stated L.B. attended Harrison Central High School as a girl for all four years. She recently attended prom in a sparkly blue dress with no protestations from the administration.
L.B. stated:
“I was being me, and I felt very accepted at the time, I felt very understood. I felt that I had a great support system at that school.”
That support system was yanked from her when the district superintendent, Mitchell King, decided to get involved in what one student in his district wore under her graduation gown.
King, the lawsuit alleged, instigated the questioning from Harrison Central High School administration. He later followed up in a call with L.B.'s parents in which the lawsuit alleged he misgendered L.B. several times and insisted the district uses birth certificates to determine gender.
L.B. noted:
"My graduation is supposed to be a moment of pride and celebration and school officials want to turn it into a moment of humiliation and shame."
You can see local news coverage here:
Trans girl misses Mississippi graduation after being told to dress like boywww.youtube.com
People were incensed on her behalf.
Many people pointed out this isn't justice but rather cruelty.
Some asked why a dress even matters?
Others shared information about the superintendent who instigated the whole matter.
Some summed it up, saying the goal should be to be better humans.
L.B. did not attend graduation.
Her family and the ACLU are considering further options for legal action.
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