Christian.org — A leading private school is discussing plans to introduce a gender-neutral uniform policy. Highgate School in North London has proposed allowing students to ‘mix-and-match’ their uniforms.
The proposal comes amid constant pressure from activists encouraging children to question their gender identity. At present, girls may wear trousers or skirts, but boys are not permitted to wear skirts, and cannot wear earrings until they are 16. However, Highgate does allow girls to be known by boys’ names and vice versa if they choose, and one boy has been allowed to wear a dress. Pressure is coming from student-led equality groups which want to scrap “old fashioned” ideas of male and female, introduce gender-neutral toilets, and ban phrases such as “ladylike” and “man up”.
The school is consulting with both parents and students as to whether the uniform policy should be changed.
Headmaster Adam Pettitt said: “We are asking them, should it be called uniform number one and uniform number two?”
He claimed that if allowing boys to wear skirts makes them “feel happier and more secure in who they are, it must be a good thing”.
‘Promoting wrong ideas’
Alan Smithers, Professor of Education at Buckingham University, was critical of Highgate’s move.
He said: “Schools need to help young people become comfortable with their identities, not reinforce their anxieties with measures such as gender-neutral uniforms.”
Former pupils have also written to Highgate to oppose the changes, stating that the school is ‘promoting the wrong ideas’.
Tim Sandler, now at university, said: “I think there are much bigger issues to be tackled and focussed on, however, like bullying and mental health.”
The remainder of this article is available in its entirety at Christian.org