UK: TransTeen Told Go Home 'Change to a Boy' Uses the Law
A transgender teenager banned from taking an exam unless she went home and changed into boys' clothing used UK equality laws to slam the school's bigoted headteacher.
Ashlyn Parram was told she wasn't allowed to take her first GCSE exam at Giles Academy, Boston, Lincolnshire, because she was wearing tights, skirt and a blazer, The Sun reported.
However, after refusing to go home and change into a boy's uniform, the 16-year-old went to the office of headtacher Chris Wall and showed him a copy of the Equality Act 2010, which protects transgender people from discrimination.
She was eventually allowed to sit the paper but was placed away from other students in the hall.
Ashlyn, who has been living openly as a girl at home for two years, told the British tabloid that she has 'never felt so bad about herself' and described how bullies at school spat and hit her in the past.
She said: 'It’s sad people can’t be more open-minded. I’ve lost a lot of friends because of everything I’ve been through. I really didn’t need to lose the support of my teachers.'
Ashlyn has been diagnosed with gender dysphoria and is waiting to receive hormone therapy.
According to her mum Miranda, a senior teacher told her daughter that gender dysphoria didn't exist, while another imitated her walk in front of other pupils.
He blasted the school's treatment of Ashlyn as 'appalling' and 'disgusting'.
A school spokesman said: 'Giles Academy is an Ofsted Outstanding school in a caring environment with robust equalities policies. The governing body of the Academy rejects all the allegations.'
Anybody who has also experienced transphobic or homophobic discrimination at school, should contact education watchdog OFSTED here.
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