News Latest News Lesbian and school formal
| Thursday, 11 November 2010 15:27 |
Lesbian and school formalWe've heard of cases overseas where students have complained about not being allowed to take their same-sex 'partner' to a school prom. Now a Year 11 girl, at a Melbourne private school, is complaining that she couldn't take her 'girlfirend' (who is at the same school but in year 10) to the school formal. The story hit the media this week - and it was revealed that the girl's father had made a complaint to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission earlier this year. Reconciliation failed when the school, Ivanhoe Girls Grammar, an Anglican school, refused to give in. The father decided not to proceed with the case to the Tribunal because it was too stressful for the daughter. Both girls have now left the school. But that didn't stop the girl speaking to the media... read report at The Age yesterday. US media outlets encouraged readers to write to the principal to 'complain' - read report. Later the school said they asked girls to bring a male guest to the Year 11 function to provide a "gender-balanced social experience'' - and said that the school actually allows Year 12 girls to bring a same-sex partner to the official formal - read report. Kevin Donnelly has noted, that, if the Greens win the balance of power in Victoria on November 27, "then there is every chance that Catholic [and other religious] schools will be forced to employ gay/lesbian teachers and promote the benefits of alternative sexuality and gender lifestyles to students. Government and other faith-based schools will also be made to teach a curriculum that positively discriminates in favour of gays, lesbians, transgender and intersex persons." He concludes: |