Student suspended for wearing ‘Nobody Knows I’m a Lesbian’ T-shirt
The student says she was suspended for wearing the t-shirt because staff at the school found it “offensive and distracting”.
Briana Popour – an openly gay teenager at Chesnee High School in South Carolina – was reportedly told by teaching staff: “You need to change your shirt or go home.”
“I’ve worn this shirt before and nobody’s ever said anything,” Popour told local news station WSPA.
Briana’s mother, Barbara, said that when she confronted the school administrator for suspending her daughter, he said he “does not like people in his school wearing anything that says anything about lesbians, gays, or bisexuals.”
When asked for comment, school officials said that the t-shirt was “offensive and distracting”.
“Clothing deemed distracting, revealing, overly suggestive or otherwise disruptive will not be permitted,” the statement read.
However, for Miss Popour, the t-shirt is part of her identity.
She also says that rather than punishing students for self-expression, the school should instead be encouraging their pupils to “be happy with who you are”.
“Isn’t that what school is supposed to teach you? To be happy with who you are?,” she said
“Maybe people will be more comfortable showing who they are because you should be able to wear what you want to wear.”
In June, student Maxwell Barrett used his yearbook quote to announce his sexuality to his friends and teachers, before he left high school for the last time.
Another US high school senior was recently outed to his parents over his plan to come out in his graduation speech.
Watch the full news report below.
