Boys in UK can now wear skirts to school

Move is part of drive for schools to be more open to children questioning their gender identity

Dress codes will no longer be defined by genders in the United Kingdom as new 'gender neutral' uniform rules allow boys to wear skirts and girls to wear trousers to school.

Eighty state institutions in the UK have changed their uniform policies to be more gender neutral with the aim of being more open to children who are questioning their gender identity and prevent discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pupils (LGBT).



"We welcome all efforts to support young people on trans and gender identity issues and ensure that they feel happy, welcome and accepted at school, and it's encouraging to see this move," a spokesperson from Stonewall said.

Brighton College, a 170-year-old institution, is also amongst the schools that have adapted a gender neutral uniform policy. "The school will continue with the two uniform policy but students can now choose either one," Brighton College headmaster Richard Cairns, told The Independent.

Cairns added the policy is more in line with the fact that some pupils are happier identifying with a different gender from the one they were born in.



Allens Croft School in Birmingham is believed to be the first state primary to declare it has a “gender neutral” uniform. Further, Julie Robinson, general secretary at the Independent Schools Council, said public and private schools would soon follow suit and that some had already adjusted their policies to accommodate transgender children.

This story originally appeared on The Independent.