Den Vincent Puso / Babag National High School - Senior High School
IN SCHOOL, long hair, skirts, and pants can carry far more weight than simple physical appearance because they directly ask who is allowed to be seen as they truly are.
For LGBTQ learners and teachers, grooming and uniform rules deeply affect daily comfort and personal belonging. As Pride Month puts visibility into sharp focus, Babag National High School - Senior High School (BNHS-SHS) shows that inclusion is not only written in official policy but is actively tested in everyday school life.
Gender equality
DepEd Order 32, series of 2017, promotes gender equality, non-discrimination, and respect for gender identity and expression.
Schools must still observe proper appearance and decorum, but the ongoing challenge lies in keeping standards without forcing LGBTQ learners and teachers to hide their identities.
Hair and expression policies
Clarice Casinillo said LGBTQ students may express their gender through uniforms and hairstyles, as long as they remain presentable, decent, and compliant with school rules.
Under these practices, gay students may wear skirts, lesbian students may wear pants, and long hair is permitted if it is neatly maintained.
“We consider long hair for our gay students as long as ila gi-pugong, presentable, and follow school rules,” she said.
(We consider long hair for our gay students as long as they tie it up, look presentable, and follow school rules.)
Casinillo added that School Head Nickjon Babatu-on encouraged faculty members two school years ago to accept the gender expression of LGBTQ students. While the policy successfully opens up physical space, that space still heavily depends on how people treat them on campus.
Unseen struggles of students
Vemrye, a student writing under an alias, describes themself as an artist and musician who expresses themself through clothing, honesty, kindness, and compassion.
Although no authority figure has asked them to change their appearance, Vemrye said they do not always feel comfortable expressing themself openly.
“Not all the time,” they said.
After spending years in school, they learned what to avoid and when to hold back. Some classmates called them “pasikat” or made unkind remarks just for fun, which created an unwelcoming atmosphere.
“Normally, I would just brush off that stuff and move on,” Vemrye said. “But some just stick, you know?”
Impacts of casual bullying
Those remarks directly affected their eagerness to learn and left them struggling with negative thoughts for days. For Vemrye, schools can help immensely by launching active campaigns that teach deep respect for diverse identities.
Guidance from the faculty
For Arniel “Niel” Tirol, a teacher at BNHS-SHS, respect is the exact foundation where safety begins. He believes self-expression and professionalism can easily go together if a person remains appropriate, proper, and presentable.
As an LGBTQ educator, he constantly encourages learners to be true to themselves.
“We live in a world that is full of criticism, and one thing you can add to beautify the world is to respect,” he said. “Once you learn to respect, you learn to accept; you learn to love that person.”