Fit Check: Is It Who You Are?

Once, we all accepted without question that schools are like our second homes. For many years, our lives have centered around schools, almost like the whole world revolves around them. Just like our real homes, schools aren't just buildings; they're places where we grow and develop. They're like sacred grounds that help shape who we are as individuals. But what if this space, intended to be safe and nurturing, transforms into an environment that dictates conformity and is filled with pretense. How does one break free?

In the corners of school campuses, unheard stories persist, either unheard or echoing loudly but falling on deaf ears. In high school, if your hair is long, the teacher will call you and cut it in front of everyone. For boys, it's a source of amusement that after class, they find themselves boasting about the number and severity of the newly bald spots on their heads. However, for transgender students, forcibly confined by schools to their assigned biological genders, it's a blow and a wound to their identity with no definite timeline for healing.

According to a Human Rights Watch report, this type of public humiliation is unfortunately common for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students. Many high schools and even universities enforce strict and gendered uniform and hair-length restrictions based on the sex assigned at birth, seemingly for discipline.

In the face of these unreasonable policies, numerous questions arise. How does hair length affect one's ability to learn? If a transgender student wears a uniform designated for females, is it a sign of disrespect to the school?

Students who defy these requirements often face severe consequences from teachers and administrators, including being denied entry to the school, being removed from class, suspension, or public humiliation and discrimination. Even before stepping into the school, the scrutinizing gaze of guards, scanning from head to toe with questioning eyes, makes students feel lost and out of place. Then comes the barrage of questions, "Aren't you a girl?" or "Aren't you a boy?"

Regulations regarding hairstyles in the Philippines are not unprecedented. Images of LGBTQ+ teenagers conforming to their school's haircut policy have ignited a discussion on discrimination and self-expression.

The controversy ensued after a salon shared images of the teens' transformations from long hair to crew cuts and short fades. The RR Valencia Salon for Men and Women expressed gratitude on Facebook, using a term of endearment in the gay community to refer to the youths and thanking them for entrusting the salon with their hair transformations.

“I know you worked hard to grow your hair out but it’s still important to follow school policies while you’re still studying. Believe me, once you graduate, you can wear your hair as long as you want. You will be able to stand up to people because you have finished school,” the salon’s heartfelt post read.

Some trans women can't use their degrees because of their gender identity. They have to pretend to be someone they're not just to get a job. Even if these young people follow the rules now, there's no promise they can be themselves and pick the job they really want after they graduate.

Discrimination must not be mistaken as discipline. This is not a joke. People suffer and children endure the unjust scrutiny, silently questioning the very essence of these rules and fighting for their right to exist in an environment that should foster growth, acceptance, and understanding. Going to school shouldn’t be hard and scary. It was supposed to be their safe space. A place where they can be whoever they want to be without judgment.

While acknowledging that addressing gendered uniforms and haircut policies won't entirely eliminate the stigma against the LGBTQ+ community, it marks a significant step forward. This move signals a commitment to progress, recognizing that there are still many battles to be fought in the broader struggle for equality. Winning these battles and dismantling discriminatory practices remains the ultimate goal, underscoring the importance of ongoing advocacy and concerted efforts toward a more inclusive and accepting society.