Trans teen banned from school until she adheres to a male dress code. Now she may be forced to transfer
Sanay Martinez, a trans student from Louise, Texas. (Screen capture via abc13)
Sanay Martinez, a trans student from Louise, Texas, has been kicked out of her school until she abides by the male dress code.
With in-person teaching reopening for the autumn semester, Louise Independent School District prohibited Martinez from adhering to the school’s female dress code after she alerted officials that she is trans.
Administrators told her that unless she cuts her hair, takes out her earrings, and dresses in accordance with the “male handbook”, she cannot return.
Martinez was just a typical student at who enjoyed her classes and loved spending time with her friends, but told ABC13 that the experience has made her feel almost like a pariah.
“It’s my senior year and I would love to go back to Louise ISD, but I don’t feel welcome at all,” she told the outlet.
She and her close friend are even considering transferring to a school some 10 miles away in El Campo in protest. School officials sought to stress that as much as they “accept” Martinez, she must abide by their rules.
Trans teen and her best friend may have to transfer to another school due to anti-trans dress code.
The 18-year-old said: “[The school administrators] don’t have to accept it, but they should respect it”.
“They told me I can’t come back until I cut my hair and take out my piercings. And I do not like that because as a female, I should follow the female handbook and not the male handbook.”
Due to the school’s inability to respect as well accept Martinez, she and her friend Alexis Mendoza will most likely have to be transferred to El Campo High School, in the neighbouring town of El Campo.
Mendoza said: “They’re being really disrespectful. They know [Sanay] since [she] was in Pre-K.”
She said that the school was “fine” when Martinez came out as gay, “but when [she] came out as trans, that’s when everything changed.”
The superintendent of Louise Independent School District said how they “accept” and “love” Sanay, but she must follow the rules.
Martinez continued “I’m here to tell everyone, that transgender students should be allowed for their education.
“It is their rightful purpose for them to go into the school and get their education. It doesn’t matter what race, gender or sexuality.”
