kepdawg
04-27-2007, 04:24 PM
Cross-dressing teen suspended from school
03:44 PM CDT on Friday, April 27, 2007
By EMILY TSAO / The Dallas Morning News
etsao@dallasnews.com
A Fort Worth high school student said he has been suspended for wearing high heels and a wig to school.
Rodney Evans, a 15-year-old sophomore at Eastern Hills High School, said officials told him he was being suspended Thursday for disrupting the school environment with foul language, but he contends the real reason was because he is a transgender male who cross-dresses.
On any given day, Rodney may wear women's jeans, women's flats, nail polish, eye shadow, mascara and blush. He carries a purse. Sometimes, he wears a wig or breast pads. Rodney said he has been dressing like this since freshman year.
It hasn't been easy. In the past two years, he said, he has received numerous school infractions has been suspended more times than he can remember.
"When I try and do the whole cross-dressing thing, everything just blows up in my face," he said Friday. "I can't be who I am. They basically stripped me of who I am."
Rodney said he was escorted Thursday to the office of the assistant principal, who told him to remove his wig and high heels because he was being disruptive. When Rodney refused, he was told to go into detention for the remainder of the day. A second refusal led to a threat of a three-day suspension.
Upset, Rodney said, he went into the hallway and began crying. A friend came by and Rodney said he had an outburst. Rodney said police officers then ticketed him for using profane language.
"I got myself suspended in a way," he said.
A school district spokeswoman declined to comment on the specifics of the incident, but said the suspension had nothing to do with clothing.
"This is a disciplinary matter involving a student and rules concerning confidentiality prohibit us from talking about this," Barbara Griffith said.
Rodney said he's never gotten a ticket before but is expected to show up at municipal court by early May and possibly face a fine or community service.
He returns to school Wednesday.
Rodney and his mom, Lenora Felipe, said school district officials were practicing a double standard. Female students dress like males all the time, wearing boxers, tennis shoes, wallet chains and watches, Rodney said.
"And they have nothing to say to them at all," he said.
Ms. Felipe said she met previously with school officials when they expressed concerns about Rodney's use of the restroom and how it might appear to visitors who did not realize he was a young man.
"My son on a daily basis looks like a girl regardless of whether he is dressed up or not," Ms. Felipe said.
"People keep on saying he's not being normal. Yes, he is," she said. "That's his life."
Staff writer Kimberly Durnan contributed to this report.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/04-07/0428rodneyevans2.jpg
03:44 PM CDT on Friday, April 27, 2007
By EMILY TSAO / The Dallas Morning News
etsao@dallasnews.com
A Fort Worth high school student said he has been suspended for wearing high heels and a wig to school.
Rodney Evans, a 15-year-old sophomore at Eastern Hills High School, said officials told him he was being suspended Thursday for disrupting the school environment with foul language, but he contends the real reason was because he is a transgender male who cross-dresses.
On any given day, Rodney may wear women's jeans, women's flats, nail polish, eye shadow, mascara and blush. He carries a purse. Sometimes, he wears a wig or breast pads. Rodney said he has been dressing like this since freshman year.
It hasn't been easy. In the past two years, he said, he has received numerous school infractions has been suspended more times than he can remember.
"When I try and do the whole cross-dressing thing, everything just blows up in my face," he said Friday. "I can't be who I am. They basically stripped me of who I am."
Rodney said he was escorted Thursday to the office of the assistant principal, who told him to remove his wig and high heels because he was being disruptive. When Rodney refused, he was told to go into detention for the remainder of the day. A second refusal led to a threat of a three-day suspension.
Upset, Rodney said, he went into the hallway and began crying. A friend came by and Rodney said he had an outburst. Rodney said police officers then ticketed him for using profane language.
"I got myself suspended in a way," he said.
A school district spokeswoman declined to comment on the specifics of the incident, but said the suspension had nothing to do with clothing.
"This is a disciplinary matter involving a student and rules concerning confidentiality prohibit us from talking about this," Barbara Griffith said.
Rodney said he's never gotten a ticket before but is expected to show up at municipal court by early May and possibly face a fine or community service.
He returns to school Wednesday.
Rodney and his mom, Lenora Felipe, said school district officials were practicing a double standard. Female students dress like males all the time, wearing boxers, tennis shoes, wallet chains and watches, Rodney said.
"And they have nothing to say to them at all," he said.
Ms. Felipe said she met previously with school officials when they expressed concerns about Rodney's use of the restroom and how it might appear to visitors who did not realize he was a young man.
"My son on a daily basis looks like a girl regardless of whether he is dressed up or not," Ms. Felipe said.
"People keep on saying he's not being normal. Yes, he is," she said. "That's his life."
Staff writer Kimberly Durnan contributed to this report.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/04-07/0428rodneyevans2.jpg