High school cross-dressing in the spotlight
November 9, 2009 at 1:17 pm by Bobby Feingold in News
JONATHAN ESCOBAR gained national attention after cross-dressing in a North Cobb County high school
High school is a tricky time for many teenagers, with the simple act of what to wear becoming a huge dilemma. Does this skirt look right, a girl might wonder to herself before school. But what about when a boy wonders the same question? This weekend the New York Times asked the same query in a piece dissecting cross-dressing in high schools across the country. The article mentions some accepting schools, like one in Tucson, Ariz., where a girl who identifies as male was nominated for homecoming prince and another in Los Angeles, Calif., where a gay male student won prom queen. But for every good example, there are just as many bad scenarios, including the case of Jonathan Escobar, the Cobb County student who was sent home for wearing female clothing this October, which the article touches on. We talked to Escobar in our First Person series where he revealed the intentions behind his attire:
When I came to Georgia, I would shop at antique stores and use larger shoulder pads to make these weird little outfits. It’s not that I like to wear girl’s clothes. It’s my art. Why be called “gay” or “cross-dresser”? Why label? I’m only 16. I wanna have fun. I don’t stick to titles.
That same month Atlanta’s Morehouse College implemented a dress code against five male students who were, according to the school, “living a gay lifestyle that is leading them to dress a way we do not expect in Morehouse men.” The issue of gender-bending dress codes may become more common in the coming years, says the New York Times:
Although dress code disputes are largely anecdotal, popping up in the news when a lawsuit threat emerges, educators and psychologists say that more schools will have to address them in the near future. There are 4,118 gay-straight alliance clubs in high schools across the country, which raise awareness of such issues. Gender-boundary questions are even bubbling up in elementary schools, with parents seeking to pave the way for their children, in blogs like acceptingdad.com and labelsareforjars.wordpress.com.
Continue reading of our First Person with Jonathan Escobar here.
(Photo by Joeff Davis)
November 9th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Hey, how about this idea- Why don’t school start worry about hiring good teachers and providing a decent education, rather than what teenagers wear to class?
Hall Monitor
http://detentionslip.org
November 12th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
Seriously, if you want to do an article on accepting schools, come by Paideia school on ponce de leon. We have many openly gay students and teachers. And also, gay hate will get you kicked out immediately.
December 9th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
1: Highschool students shouldn’t be attending classes in drag. Nothing against them, but it’s just fuel for other problems w/ other students…
2: College students are basically adults. They should have the right to dress as “female” as long as they are still presenting a respectable/professional appearance. Plus, they are paying to be there afterall.
~Ill Clinton~