Well.. I'm entering 9th grade in a high school. You can get asked by 11/12th graders to prom. It seems..fun(?) to go to prom. But..there's a dress code. Females have to wear dresses, males have to wear suits. I want to wear a suit. And..apparently if I wear a suit for prom I won't be allowed in. We were discussing the topic at dinner.. I was telling my father I wanted to wear a suit to prom. He said that I'd "look like a lesbian". I told him that I didn't care. I also said that there are women who wear suits and don't "look like a lesbian".. (I've seen pictures of women wearing suits, which made me want to wear one--also so then I would feel more masculine instead of wearing a dress--My father said they were 'buisiness suits'). So with that suit idea shot down I came up with an idea. A blazer with a pencil skirt. I guess..Not my favorite choice but oh well. My parents were like "What point are you trying to make? Stop trying to look like a boy or look androgynous." (My older brother chimed in and said "being androgynous is weird and the person needs to make up their mind on what gender they are.") So yeah..Prom. I know I'm a bit young to be thinking about it already. I want to go but- me? Wearing a dress and feeling dysphoric? ..No thanks. I don't know. I might just stay home on prom, even if I want to go. I just needed to rant a bit but..What should I do? Go to prom feeling dysphoric? Or stay home, feeling sad that I wouldn't go?..(sigh) Sorry to bother anyone with this long-ish rant and pointless questions.
You seem to have a couple years before your official prom night which gives you plenty of time to bring up that issue to your school. I would go talk with the head or whoever is in charge and explain my situation to them. Tell them that plenty of people are genderfluid and that it's the role of the school to make them and everybody feel welcome and included. Rules like women have to wear a dress and guys a tux are completely old-fashioned and absurd and should be reconsidered. I personally would go and fight for my rights to be who I am regardless of what my father, brother and else would think of it but then again I am the upfront and confrontational type of personal lol so yeah...
Well, the ACLU is on your side (and has been known to write letters to schools): Title IX: It’s Not Just about Sports. So is Lambda Legal, who've successfully sued a school over its prom dress code (as described on the linked page). Who knows how many other students a little confrontation might help?
Wow what a stupid rule they they set up....that's very sexist and c'mon! It's 2015!! Like others said you could try to be confrontational. By doing that you're doing yourself a favor as well as others, potentially. If it doesn't work out and you still want to go, you could wear a bodysuit or pants that look like skirts. Good luck to you.
I see..I'm not exactly the straight to the point, confrontational person, but I'll try it out. I haven't thought of a bodysuit or pants that looks like skirts. It seems like a good idea to try. Thanks for the advice
