School which cancelled prom suspended trans student
The Mississippi school which cancelled prom because a lesbian student wanted to bring her girlfriend recently suspended a student for being trans.
Juin Baize attended Itawamba Agricultural High School for a matter of hours before he was suspended for wearing feminine clothing.
Last week, a court ruled that the school had violated Constance McMillen’s rights for barring her from attending the event with her girlfriend and wearing a tuxedo.
Sixteen-year-old Baize, who prefers to use male pronouns, was sent home on his first day at the school for his appearance. When he tried to return, he was given another suspension notice.
The Stranger reports that he moved to the school earlier this year and asked the American Civil Liberties Union for help.
Kristy Bennett, legal director of the ACLU of Mississippi, told the website that the school district had refused to state why the student was suspended.
She said: “Juin’s case was a situation where a transgender student wanted to attend school dressed in feminine clothing and the school district would not even let him attend school.”
Baize’s mother Beverly Bertsinger said she was forced to move out of her mother’s home when the story was in the local newspaper.
“I’m so afraid for him. I support him. I buy him the clothing to wear as a female. I just want him to be safe,” she said.
The student is now living in Florida with friends of his mother, until she and her other two children can afford to move to join him.
However, this means that the ACLU is unlikely to be able to pursue his case.
