Australian school makes its uniform policy genderless

Uniforms might be annoying for some kids out there, but at least at one Australian school it doesn't have to be a gendered issue.

Sydney's Newtown High School of the Performing Arts have changed their uniform policy for boys and girls, making it a singular uniform, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. That means boys can wear skirts and girls can wear pants.

The school has also extended the policy to students being able to refer themselves as male or female, and that those who identify as a girl will be able to use the female toilets, according to ABC News.

The changes by the school's administration were implemented last week, after students successfully lobbied the school, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Located in arguably one of Sydney's most progressive areas, the school already had policies in place to allow transitioning and transitioned students to wear the uniform of their choice and use the appropriate toilets, albeit with formal permission.

The policy change means that students no longer require parental permission or notes from psychologists, according to Jo Dwyer, a year 11 student.

"Our aim was to remove the un-inclusive gender labels from the school uniform," Dwyer told the Sydney Morning Herald. "And make it so that anyone could wear any aspect of the uniform without having to go through a long and difficult process." 

While students and parents have been supportive of the uniform change, it has been criticised by the Australian Christian Lobby, which said the policy change is an example of "radical gender theory" entering schools.

"This whole questioning of what it means to be male or female and the idea that gender doesn't matter anymore, I think is radical gender theory, and it's finding its way into our schools," Australian Christian Lobby director Lyle Shelton told the ABC. Shelton was also concerned that boys could be bullied for wearing skirts.

The NSW Department of Education and Newtown High School of the Performing Arts declined requests from Mashable Australia for comment.

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