School’s cross-dressing idea for concert shocks mum

An Auckland Catholic school asked boys to dress as girls for a concert to make the occasion more “fun and silly”. But St Peter’s College is now reconsidering after a complaint that the idea made light of gender complexity.

One parent was shocked after an email was sent home ahead of next week’s Welsh festival Eisteddfod, giving costume requirements for a show that sees boys in Years 7 and 8 face off in singing, music and poetry.

“In regards to costumes, for our song and dance the boys need to be dressed as girls. I have suggested borrowing their sister/cousins’ clothes,” the email said.

“Also, borrowing hair accessories such as headbands or clips to make the night more fun and silly would be awesome!”

The parent said gender complexity was a sensitive, serious subject and something that should not be joked about.

“You would think given recent attitude changes in media and society that a school would be more sensitive to the issue of gender identity and how it may affect our sons, who may be unsure of their own gender identity, or how they interact and think about others who are either unsure or comfortable,” said the mother, who did not want to be named.

“Dressing up as a girl is certainly not ‘silly’ these days, nor to be made fun of in a show.”

She said her son had since asked to buy female clothes because it would be “funny” — “I will be doing my own re-educating,” she said.

Headmaster James Bentley understood the parent’s concern and agreed it was probably not an appropriate comment to make in the current climate.

“It’s very much a throwaway line in an email from a teacher who didn’t appear to think about the language used. It’s a comment that I’m sure she wishes she hadn’t said. I don’t think they’re trying to mock gender.”

Bentley agreed that dressing up as a girl wasn’t something to be made fun of and changes could be afoot as a result.

“I guess as a boys’ school they’re playing different characters, some people dress up as trees. Is dressing up as girls now appropriate? Probably not now in this climate.

“Maybe that’s something that needs to be looked at.”