A Kentucky high school is being called out for refusing to allow students to wear pro-LGBTQ clothing because it violates the dress code. At the same time, however, the school still allows shirts with Confederate flags.
According to WYMT, student Lilly Vance at Martin County High School accused her school of discrimination after students were told to change out of “Lady Lesbian” and “Queen Queer” shirts celebrating Pride Month, LGBTQ Nation reported.
“They were wearing gay pride shirts to school and they all got dress coded for it,” Vance explained.
Other political shirts have been allowed in the school without incident, however.
“Kids wear political shirts. They wear Confederate flag shirts. I just don’t understand what’s so wrong with wearing gay pride shirts,” Vance said. “Nothing we’re doing is wrong. All we are doing is expressing who we are.”
“We’re not asking you to believe in what we believe in. We’re just asking for respect,” Vance also said. “It means Gay-Straight Alliance. It’s for kids who don’t feel safe at home, who just need people to talk to and feel safe and secure. I think everyone deserves that.”
Fellow student Zachary Mills agreed, noting Confederate flags appear on student’s “boots, hats, shirts, and even belt buckles,” but there has never been a problem from the school.
“I hope that we as LGBTQ students and people as a whole will be treated equally because right now that’s not what it’s looking like,” he said.
Superintendent Larry James claimed that it was all a “miscommunication” and that he doesn’t “want any of our students to feel like they are discriminated against.”
*story by RawStory