Mum may declare model son, 8, non-binary so he can keep his long locks at secondary school

Braids were not allowed at our secondary schools

I don't know why this surprises me but it does. What on earth is the problem with braids? Apart from anything else they lower the risk of lice infections.

The inevitable conclusion of sexist rules and gender ideology. One of our local secondaries has a no hair longer than shoulder length rule for boys. It is not uncommon I think but very outdated and sexist.
I will sign the petition. And good for her trying to sort the issue for everyone not just pleading an exception for her DS's modelling work or getting him to declare NB. Wouldn't blame him if he did mind you. Not like NB actually means anything so it wouldn't even be dishonest.

Petty, sexist rules such as 'only girls can have long hair) are feeding the fog around gender issues. The school needs to change its outdated policy before some pre-pubescent kid is taught that to keep lovely hair, he has to give up being male.

More power to her.

Do you smell this? You know what it smells like? Smells like a fat pile of bullshit to me. It's a haircut, not a bullet

She usually braids his hair but brings out the fluff for special occasions but the secondary schools they are looking at dont allow that either

I didn't see any mention of non-binary in the Independent article nor the petition.
Haven't read the Scottish Sun link yet.

Hair length isn't what makes a person male or female. Lots of men have lovely, long hair across different cultures and ethnicities. And many women enjoy short hair styles. As long as it's tied back for school, I agree that it's sexist for schools to enforce a policy of boys needing to keep their hair short.

It’s infuriating that so many establishments still have different rules for females and males. Starting so very young and enforced in jobs. Rules on hair, clothing, make-up...just forcing individuals to have to choose.

Some schools affirm and reinforce sex stereotypes?

Stonewalls must be dead chuffed with that.

The school my son used to go to banned long hair for boys. Also girls were not allowed to wear trousers.

I agree it’s racist and sexist. His hair is fabulous. As long as it’s tied back the prospective school should allow it.

I can't believe they waste so much plastic and time washing his hair with Evian.

Boys should be allowed to have long hair

I hate all school hair rules it’s nonsense

BUT that mum is encouraging her 8 year old to have unusual hair for her own secondary gain and it’s horrible to read
Managing that hair must take hours and hours of their time
I wonder how much he actually wants to stand out so dramatically and have his hair and face ominous campaigns and on insta for 1/4 million people to gawp at.
At what age will he be allowed to say no way and have it cut if he wants it

It all sounds horrible to me

I’ve never worked in a secondary school which banned boys from having long hair. Can anyone give examples of schools which do this?

My son's school , (fee paying, co-ed in Scotland) did and still does. Also bans earrings on boys.

That is some gorgeous hair right there. Since the beginning of time I've been joking with my dh about why it is that society doesn't allow men to wear makeup long hair or dresses. For me dresses are thee most comfortable option vs chub rub jeans and make up can transform me on a given day even though I don't wear it all the time.

None of the above should divide the sexes. Schools aren't moving with the times, this dc has already gained employment ffs it's hardly going to deprive him of a life having beautiful hair. I hope they can just say can my dc go to school to receive an education as he is please and win.

She lost me at the washes his hair with Evian. Comment

Her son isn’t actually at the secondary school she’s complaining about rather that she read a prospective schools uniform policy and kicked off.

Surely it would have been better to speak with the school first to clarify the rules (they may have agreed and changed them or maybe she misinterpreted). If it was true then kick off.

She’s got a lot of publicity for her model son based on her reading a school policy that her son isn’t even at.

It couldn’t stand up in court, surely?

I’ve never worked in a secondary school which banned boys from having long hair. Can anyone give examples of schools which do this?

DS (about to make me a granny) grew his hair in secondary school and had totally natural, totally gorgeous glossy chestnut ringlets below shoulder length by GCSE time. Nobody ever suggested he might be happier as a girl. He got a key role as a royalist cavalier in the summer historical pageant set in the Civil War.

He decided to grow it; he decided when to cut it - at about 17 and doing A levels iirc. I think he wore a hairnet for science and food tech lessons. When it went there was a huge saving in shampoo and conditioner!

Please let children do their own think and find their own labels if they want them. I worry about the channelling going on, especially for younger, more impressionable children.

Hair is just hair.

bd67th
Cross post. Why didn't I think of that

Reginabambina

Usually they don't allow links to petitions as there is a dedicated petition board but this isn't the easiest one to find.

www.change.org/p/houses-of-parliament-change-law/w?source_location=psf_petitions

We aren't to link to petitions or fundraisers here, but you might find this Independent article helpful.

Do you have a link for her petition? I’d like to sign it.