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A private Christian school in Bendigo, in central Victoria, has been criticised for turning a former captain away from a function for not wearing an "appropriate" suit.
Angus McCormack, who is openly gay and studying fashion design, complained about Girton Grammar's decision to not allow him to attend a service last Friday because his outfit did not meet the dress code.
The former student was attending the event as a guest of his father, Chris McCormack, who was a member of Girton Grammar's board for six years.
Angus said he had "toned down" his appearance to be respectful to the school's wishes and was hurt by the rejection.
"I decided to wear minimal makeup, a single small earring, neat black leather pants, a white shirt with a black bow tie and black designer jacket," he said.
"A suit by any definition of the word, although not in the typical commercial fabrics.
"Upon my arrival at the [Sacred Heart] Cathedral, after greeting a lot of excited staff and students on my way in, I was approached by the deputy head at the aisle and without even greeting me she told me I was 'inappropriately dressed' and commanded that I 'leave the event'."
A 'crushing' experience
Angus said he was usually "quite strong" but found the rejection upsetting.
"To be honest, I was pretty crushed," he said.
"It's really been affecting me, my confidence is shaken, I'm doubting myself a little bit in what I usually wear, who I usually am."
He said he wrote about the incident on social media because he wanted to make a stand.
"[I wrote about it for] everybody out there who's ever felt like they don't fit in or don't belong," he said.
"I really just want to fight for them."
In a statement, school headmaster Matthew Maruff said he was "profoundly sorry" the situation had occurred.
But he said Angus was not "commanded to leave" the Foundation Day church service.
"Angus left immediately after being told that he was not appropriately attired," he said.
"There was no opportunity for discussion so that this issue might play out differently ... this is a deeply regrettable situation".
Mr Maruff said the school had been trying to contact both Chris and Angus to talk this issue through with them privately.
He said it was an issue of dress code, not of sexual discrimination.
"Irrespective of any personal judgment regarding Angus' attire on the night, which is in itself subjective, he was not wearing what was requested by the school as appropriate attire for a guest of a board member for our Foundation Day church service, he said.
Father wants apology from Girton Grammar
Angus's father Chris was a member of Girton Grammar's board for six years, but resigned this week in protest at his son's treatment.
"I think that it is a poor reflection on what the school espouses as its values, which in this case appear to be nothing more than platitudes," he said.
"We've asked the question: What exactly was inappropriate about Angus's attire on that night?
"That has not been made available to us [and] we're still perplexed as to exactly which part of his attire, which part of his choice of clothing, was unacceptable on that evening."
Chris said he wanted an apology from the school.
Mr Maruff said that as a guest of a board member, the ex-student would have sat at the front of the church with other dignitaries, and prior to the service "was respectfully asked via email to his father, 'to be dressed in a suit as is expected of teaching staff and members of the board'."
Topics: secondary-schools, community-and-society, bendigo-3550, vic
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