Gender Public Advocacy Coalition

[Bob]

See the article, called "Male student in dress shut out of prom"
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12958618/

Interestingly, the article mentions an organization in DC that fights for gender-neutral dress codes. I quote:

Tyrone Hanley, the youth program coordinator for the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition in Washington, D.C., said he often sees cases like this and called it gender-based discrimination.

"Prohibiting really short skirts for everyone is a fair dress code; prohibiting them for males is not," he said.

http://www.gpac.org

A glance at the website, and it looks like we're on the right side of this curve. For example, the number of major corporations adopting official gender expression discrimination policies is skyrocketing --- from two adoption in 2000 to 41 coming onboard in 2005 alone!

[iain]

looked ok to me!

[sterlin6]

Looked ok to me too.

[Since1982]

but..... I can see where the school might have had one teeny weeny toehold on enforcing those unfair rules. Kevin said that all school year long he'd worn "women's clothes". BUT he'd not worn a dress or skirt all year long as "women's clothes" only women's fitted jeans. This the school could (in their mindless conformity) overlook as long as it was trousers he was wearing and not a skirt/dress. I hope the ACLU drops a rock on that school like they did in the Michael Coviello case. The rules of the school are STILL unfair and gender discriminatory. That school gets my Squashed Tomato Award!

[Departed Member]

Sorry, but that just looks like straight-forward 'cross-dressing' to me! If the bloke was intending to become TG, then fine, the School would be aware and would have no justifiable grounds to bar him from the formal event, so attired. If he's claiming to be a homosexual, then why is he wearing a full formal dress ensemble, albeit extremely well turned out, anyway?

However, the clue may be in the quote:

"Logan said he had spent years defining and exploring his sexuality. This year, he took a major step by dressing as a female every day, wearing makeup, a hair weave, nails and girls' fitted jeans to school."

Dressed as a female every day? Oh come on! "Girls' fitted jeans"? Jeans are just that, jeans. Boring, gender-neutral garments. Zip go 'the other way'? Does anyone really notice, these days? Or care? It seems to me, the quantum leap that appears to have 'spooked' the school is from that which is perceived as 'ordinary', to the (let's face it, well co-ordinated) overtly feminine prom outfit.

[Stu]

I'm not sure why this story is of interest to people here. We want the right to wear skirts (etc) as men; to have such garments designed for us and made available in shops. This guy is a cross-dresser - it's as simple as that.

Nothing wrong about that, of course. Each to their own. And the school should have allowed him to wear what he felt was most appropriate for him. But this is a different issue to what we are about, isn't it?

Stu

[talon2mech]

I'm not sure why this story is of interest to people here. We want the right to wear skirts (etc) as men; to have such garments designed for us and made available in shops. This guy is a cross-dresser - it's as simple as that.

Nothing wrong about that, of course. Each to their own. And the school should have allowed him to wear what he felt was most appropriate for him. But this is a different issue to what we are about, isn't it?

Stu

It is different. However, it has the same roots as our cause. The very foundation of a man being able to wear what he wants without discrimination.

[isobar]

If he's claiming to be a homosexual, then why is he wearing a full formal dress ensemble

Does homosexuality disqualify one from fashion freedom? I think we need to remember that 'homosexual' is just an adjective, it doesn't sum a person up.

[crfriend]

I'm not sure why this story is of interest to people here. We want the right to wear skirts (etc) as men; to have such garments designed for us and made available in shops. This guy is a cross-dresser - it's as simple as that.

I'll second Stu's comment here. This circumstance isn't terribly helpful to regular old blokes who just want to put on a skirted garment and remain blokes.

The story above is a case that's well on the other side of the matter and may not even really represent what the kid in question really is "after". If the kid is heading down the transgender route, then he's certainly justified in wearing such an outfit and for being justly irate at the school officials; if he's headed down the "normal" homosexual route, then why the cross-dressing? There may be something else in play here.

The fact that it's beginning to be recognised that gender-specific dress-codes are an artefact of the dark ages is welcome, but this doesn't seem to be anything of the sort. This seems to be a youngster who's quite confused about things, stepped over somebody else's "comfort level", and got pinned for it. Wearing "girls' pants" for the school year would be unremarkable and unnoticeable -- showing up for the prom in all-up drag is something altogether different.

[binx]

IMO he should have sought permission, since school policy states no guys in dresses. Then he may have been able to wear something TG, but within guidelines.

binx

[Departed Member]

Does homosexuality disqualify one from fashion freedom? I think we need to remember that 'homosexual' is just an adjective, it doesn't sum a person up.

The circumstances in this issue aren't about "fashion freedom" - it's a formal school prom, with a (usually) 'stricter than normal' dress code. As others have also pointed out, this particular young man seems to have 'other issues' involved. Images (of self-publicity?) such as this (and the recent 'casual kilt' farce) don't exactly help those of us not so fortunate as to have partner/peer support for our far more restrained clothing preferences. 'Fashion freedom', displayed in such a manner, is certainly 'an albatros round the neck' for many of us here, sad to say.........

As for 'homosexual' being 'just an adjective', I'm not sure those of our acquaintance would be any too pleased to be regarded as such. They are real people, not part of some stranger's theoretical PC beliefs.

[Bob]

The store is of interest here, not because of the guy who wore a dress to the prom, but rather because of the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition, who was quoted in the same article. Please look at their website, they're doing advocacy work that we think would be good but never actually do.

[Brandy]

One of the few things of note in this story is the poll, which is kinda interesting. So far 58% in favor, anyone ready to stuff a ballot box?

-- Brandy

Live Vote
Do you think Indiana high school senior Kevin Logan should have been denied entrance to the prom because he wore a dress? * 24793 responses

Yes.
42%

No.
58%
Not a scientific survey. Click to learn more. Results may not total 100% due to rounding.

[Since1982]

Whether he's homosexual, crossdressing, playing a joke or whatever reason he really had for coming to his senior prom in a prom dress is insignificant. The real problem here, and why that Advocacy agency, the ACLU and a lawyer might ulimately be involved in this, IMHO, is the sad state of affairs for gender equality in this country. Women have the choice of about 2 million different outfits for the prom, men have the choice of what color their tuxedo is going to be, men can have shiny lapels, white bow ties, off-white shirts, but it's still only a tuxedo. I wonder if the school would have denied entrance to a girl dressed in a pair of silk or other fancy material trousers for her prom. I personally think they wouldn't have denied anything to a woman. I think a woman could come to her prom dressed as a banana and get a few remarks but would still be allowed in.

This is my opinion, you can agree or disagree. Opinions are like noses, everyone has one, even Michael Jackson, it's his nose, even though it's plastic, he bought and paid for it.

[Bob]

Hey, I'm working on my new bananna outfit, I'll post pics just as soon as it's ready!