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Transgendered student wins right to wear girl's uniform at Catholic school


Lily Madigan

Lily Madigan

A Catholic secondary school in Kent has apologised after sending a transgender pupil home for wearing the wrong uniform and preventing her from using the girls' toilets and changing rooms. Lily Madigan, 18, was born male, but came out as female last year. When she turned up for the first time at St Simon Stock Catholic School in Maidstone dressed in girls' attire she was sent home.

More than 200 people signed a petition calling on the school to change its approach to transgender students. Lily also sought legal support from a solicitor who asked the school to fall in line with legislation. Under the Equality Duty provisions enshrined in the 2010 Equality Act, transgender individuals are protected from discrimination. People who identify as trans do not have to be undergoing a medical procedure to change their sex but must be taking steps to live in the opposite gender or propose to do so.

The school agreed to Lily's requests, and now allow Lily to wear female dress and use the ladies' toilets and changing rooms. Staff are going to be given training on transgender issues and Lily has received a formal letter of apology.

Lily said she was happy about the changes but "not incredibly encouraged about the school's attitude to equality in the first place."

St Simon Stock Catholic School said in a statement: "As a school we value highly the views of all our students, and we take all points of view into account as we develop as a school. Transgender is an important issue for us as for schools up and down the country. As an inclusive, Catholic academy, we are confident that the attention we have given to transgender, including carefully listening to students, has been invaluable in us going even further to make sure all students are happy and comfortable, so that they can be as successful as possible."

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