An Indiana high school senior is suing her school after her principal told her she could not wear a tuxedo to the school’s prom.
The 17-year-old girl, whose name is not revealed in the lawsuit, is a lesbian and does not wear dresses because she believes dresses represent a sexual identity she rejects, court filings say.
The lawsuit, filed on the girl’s behalf Tuesday by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, says that the principal told the girl that, while the school’s dress code does not contain gender-based requirements, there is a special dress code for prom that requires female students to wear a formal dress.
The suit seeks an injunction requiring that Lebanon High School let the girl wear the same formal attire to the prom as male students.
Kent Frandsen, attorney for the Lebanon Community school district, said officials were considering allowing the teen to wear a pantsuit. With six weeks left until the prom, Frandsen said there is still time to work something out.
He said the school will follow the ruling of the court.
“If the court rules that this girl is allowed to wear the tux, and that’s what she wants to do, that’s what she’ll do,” he said.
