For a lot of us, our school teachers are our role models. They teach us, inspire us and help us become fully functioning adults. Sometimes, they also go above and beyond their duty to inculcate the right values in us.
According to Metro UK, when a Spanish school student was bullied and called homophobic slurs for wearing an anime t-shirt to class, male teachers Manuel Ortega and Borja Velaquez decided to wear skirts themselves. One of them wrote on Twitter:
“A school that educates with respect, diversity, co-education and tolerance. Dress how you want! We join the campaign #clotheshavenogender.”
Un cole que educa en el respeto, la diversidad, la coeducaiĆ³n y la tolerancia. Ā”VĆstete como quieras! Nos sumamos a la inicitiva #LaRopaNoTieneGĆ©nero @CEIPVdeSacedon @educacyl @cfievalladolid @FTriangulo @fecylgtb pic.twitter.com/GgnoejXe2N
— Borja VelĆ”zquez (@borjamusico) April 29, 2021
Mail Online reports that the campaign was initially started by Maths teacher Jose PiƱas in November 2020. He wore one after a student named Mikel Gomez was expelled and asked to see a psychologist for wearing a skirt to school. The boy had worn it to support feminism and diversity.
“20 years ago I suffered persecution and insults for my sexual orientation in the institute where I am now a teacherā¦ many teachers, they looked the other way. I want to join the cause of the student, Mikel, who has been expelled and sent to the psychologist for going to class with a skirt.”
Hace 20aƱos sufrĆ persecuciĆ³n e insultos xmi orientaciĆ³n sexual en el instituto en el q ahora soy profesor, muchs profes, miraron para otro lado. Quiero unirme a la causa del alumno, Mikel, q ha sido expulsado y enviado al psicĆ³logo por ir a clase con falda. #LaRopaNoTieneGenero pic.twitter.com/5PEN9vityY
— Jose PiƱas (@joxepinas) November 9, 2020
Hola Jose. Mi nombre es Luis PĆ©rez. Soy el Director del IES do Castro de Vigo. Hace 30 aƱos luchĆ© solo en el instituto por defender orientaciĆ³n sexual.Hoy soy Director y desde mi responsabilidad lucho para que ningĆŗn alumno/a de mi centro sufra acoso escolar #LaRopaNoTieneGenero pic.twitter.com/FTnJqxDKLP
ā Luis_CulCi (@LuisMPrez6) November 9, 2020
Kudos to these badass teachers who are leading by example and being the change they want to see in their classrooms.