These Male Teachers Wore Skirts to School to Support A Student Bullied for His Fashion Choices
Two Spanish teachers are being praised for wearing skirts to school as a lesson to their students after a bullying incident.
In early May, teachers Manuel Ortega and Borja Velázquez overheard a student call another boy in the class a homphobic slur for wearing a Manga-themed sweatshirt. As a result, the boy was reportedly very upset and later took the sweatshirt off, according to El Pais. Manuel and Borja wanted to teach their students "that clothes mean nothing and that everyone dresses as they want" and words can be extremely hurtful. So, they showed up the next day wearing skirts to class.
Manuel wore a blue overall skirt, while Borja wore a plaid kilt in an attempt "to teach that you have to change and that words hurt."
Un cole que educa en el respeto, la diversidad, la coeducaión y la tolerancia. ¡Vístete como quieras! Nos sumamos a la inicitiva #LaRopaNoTieneGénero @CEIPVdeSacedon @educacyl @cfievalladolid @FTriangulo @fecylgtb pic.twitter.com/GgnoejXe2N
— Borja Velázquez (@borjamusico) April 29, 2021
Since their statement, the teachers have reported that they've seen a change in their students, who are showing more respect for each. However, both Manuel and Borja believe that more action needs to be taken.
This comes amid the movement #LaRopaNoTieneGénero (clothes have no gender), which began in Spain in October 2020 in solidarity with 15-year-old Mikel Gómez, who was expelled from his school in Bilbao and sent to a psychologist for wearing a skirt. The story went viral after Mikel made a TikTok about the situation.
In solidarity with Mikel, male students all over Spain wore skirts to school on November 4th, many documenting the protest on social media.
Months later and the movement is still going strong, thanks to people like Manuel and Borja.
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