More than 220,000 people have signed a change.org petition in support of 17-year-old Trevor Wilkinson, who was suspended from Clyde High School, Texas, for wearing nail polish. Wilkinson, who identifies as a gay man, created the petition to highlight double standards as female students are allowed to wear nail polish to school. He wrote: “I got ISS (in school suspension) for having my nails painted. I was told that I will continue to get ISS until I take them off. It’s a complete double standard because girls are allowed to paint and get their nails done.”
He continued: “Not only that, but freedom of expression is validation enough that the dress code and policy is not okay. I am a gay male and I’m beyond proud. This is unjust and not okay. Help me show that it is okay to express yourself and that the identity that society wants to normalize is not okay. I am a human. I am valid. I should not get in trouble for having my nails done. Sign and share this so people like me don’t have to ever deal with this again. It’s time for a change and that time is now.”
Wilkinson thanked the public for their support on social media, saying: “Thank you for standing alongside me to create change so that students like me can express ourselves in authentic ways in school and focus on our studies. As well as ending the gender norms that society has oppressed on us. Please continue to call and email but for those of you who want to challenge dangerous gender stereotypes you can join me in painting your nails and rocking them all over Texas and the country. Again, thank you all for your support and our voices will not go unheard.”
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