Graduates can wear clothes that fit their gender identity, says DepEd NCR

There are many ways to express yourself — through music, art, and maybe even your style. On June 17, the Department of Education National Capital Region (DepEd NCR) office released a memorandum stating schools must allow LGBTQIA+ students to wear their choice of clothing during their graduation rites.

The memo highlighted DepEd’s “gender-responsive basic education policy”, which fosters gender equality, equity, and sensitivity at the basic education level. This call came after the issue of four graduating transwomen being banned from joining their graduation marches over to their long hair and the school’s dress code.

The public outcry heightened when Miss Trans Global 2020 Mela Habijan shared the incident of the students namely Nicole, Kendi, Jade, and Rey. She said on Twitter, ‘Why can’t they be themselves [on] an occasion they worked hard for? Why aren’t they allowed? Why do they have to compromise their identities?’

Meet Nicole, Kendi, Jade, and Rey.

They are graduating Senior High School students. Sadly, they aren’t going to their graduation ceremonies on Monday, June 27, for they aren’t allowed to come in dresses and they are required to cut their hair. pic.twitter.com/nePkBaNVVr

— Miss Mela Habijan (@missmelahabijan) June 26, 2022

Habijan then offered the transwomen students with a creative photoshoot after discovering that they weren’t permitted to march during their ceremonies. But Habijan expressed, ‘They were robbed of an opportunity-of-a-lifetime to march and receive their hard-earned diplomas.’

The trans beauty queen posted an update on June 27 and shared that Kendi, Nicole, and Rey were allowed to graduate. Meanwhile, Jade also got to attend on June 29 wearing makeup but was asked to put up her hair and wear male student’s uniform.

Habijan also shared that they “won” as she posted a DepEd NCR’s memo that was signed by OIC-Usec and RD Willie Cabral.

The memo noted, ‘School heads/school administrators and all school personnel are hereby advised to allow students to attend school-initiative activities, such as the end-of-school-year rites wearing clothes which are aligned with their gender identity.’

 

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Source: we the pvblic