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Gay Texas High School Teen Is Suspended for Wearing Nail Polish

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Trevor Wilkerson, an openly gay senior at Clyde High School in Clyde, Texas, was suspended from school for wearing nail polish, because it’s a violation of the student handbook.

Upset by the suspension, which occurred right before the Thanksgiving holiday break, Wilkinson broke down in tears and posted about it on Snapchat.

The school district’s student handbook says male students are prohibited from wearing make-up and nail polish. If a student’s “grooming or clothing” violates the dress code, they are given the opportunity to correct the problem.

If not corrected, the student may be assigned to in-school suspension for the remainder of the day, until the problem is corrected, or until a parent or designee brings an acceptable change of clothing to the school. Repeated offenses may result in more serious disciplinary action in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct

According to USA Today: Clyde Consolidated Independent School District’s dress code prohibits male fingernail colors. Wilkinson says it’s discriminatory. “I have been doing this to express who I am,” Wilkinson said. “I’ve been trapped in closed minded people’s minds… I love my nails. I think they’re so cool. I’m definitely using it to express myself and feel everyone should have that freedom of expression.”

District Superintendent Kenny Berry refused to elaborate on Wilkinson’s case and refused to answer questions about the dress code’s requirements for men and women. Instead, Berry delivered a prepared statement.

“Questions or concerns with the dress code are reviewed individually, and the district cannot share any information regarding a specific student. The district appreciates the feedback and input on this issue received from members of the community, and will take this into consideration when it conducts its annual review later this school year.”

According to KTXA News: On Thursday, the school have him three choices, according to Wilkinson:

  • Remain in ISS [In School Suspension]
  • Remove the nails
  • Go to virtual learning

Wilkinson said he’s not removing the nails and he chose to stay in ISS.

Ironically many news outlets have been covering the exponential growth of the male nail care business this year.

According to The Wall Street Journal: “Influenced by celebrities like Bad Bunny, Harry Styles and A$AP Rocky, young guys nationwide are turning to nail polish. And companies are meeting the demand with muted ‘male’ shades. The list of male pop-cultural figures with is long and getting longer: from fashion designer Marc Jacobs to mop-topped pop princeling Harry Styles to “Fraser Wilson,” the snotty teen character (portrayed by actor Jack Dylan Grazer) at the center of the HBO series We Are Who We Are. Historically, many notable men have painted their nails. Actor and queer icon Quentin Crisp lacquered his gold as a young man in 1930s London, and was gay-bashed for his trouble, as he recounted in his famous memoir “The Naked Civil Servant.” Starting in the 1970s, when male self-expression was more widely embraced, musical provocateurs like David Bowie, Mick Jagger and later Kurt Cobain painted their nails in startling colors. In the world of sports, Dennis Rodman, the outrageous and outraging ex-NBA player, has done so since at least the late ’80s. When he appeared in “The Last Dance,” the ten-part docuseries about Michael Jordan that aired on ESPN earlier this year, Mr. Rodman’s nails shimmered with a tasteful turquoise tint.”

“Ever since I came out I have been having more issues at Clyde than what I normally would,” Wilkinson says. “I really wasn’t surprised that this was a thing. Clyde is very traditional.”

Wilkinson has been attracting support online as more than 38,000 people have signed a virtual petition calling on the school to lift its ban on boys wearing nail polish as of Saturday.

 

 

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