Nonbinary person tells Will Young about being bullied by rugby coach in front of teachers

A nonbinary person has revealed that they were bullied by a rugby coach in front of other teaching staff at school.

Alex called into James O’Brien’s show on LBC, which also featured singer Will Young.

They said a rugby coach had bullied them when he realised they were wearing makeup.

The coach had mocked them in front of classmates before continuing to another member of staff.

Speaking to O’Brien and Young, Alex said: “When I was around Year 8 I was gender non-conforming and used to wear makeup to school.

“One day the rugby coach took me aside because I really ballsed up a pass. He looked at me for a couple of seconds and said ‘Are you wearing makeup’?

“He stopped training for everyone and put me in front of the team and said: ‘Look, Alex is wearing the makeup. Isn’t this shocking?’”

They went on to say that the rugby coach had a later conversation in front of Alex with a teacher, when he said it was “hilarious” and “stupid” that they were wearing makeup.

“Until 2013 my school had section 28 [Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell] as official policy,” continued Alex.

Will Young looked on shocked.

O’Brien told Alex: “There’ll be people listening to this now who simply know there is someone else who is going through, or has gone through, what they’re going through at the moment and that becomes a help, because I sense you didn’t have that.

“You must’ve felt so alone.”

To which Alex replied: “Yeah.”

Watch a video of the call below:

The segment followed research for LBC and The Diana Award which revealed that 16% of bullied children had suicidal thoughts.

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