I am a Bromfield senior and consider myself an ally of the LGTBQ community. I would like to express my appreciation on behalf of the senior class for the state’s becoming more aware of the need for gender neutrality. However, applauding Jim O’Shea for his management of the graduation gown change is completely wrong. When this was introduced to the senior class, it was presented as a decision that would be made by the faculty, administration, student body, and community. Now, a not-open-to-debate decision has been made by our principal. I support a change. I also support my right to voice what this change would be. Why not a random selection of white and blue gowns? The best way to disassociate gender in the eyes of society is to stop treating this decision as one based on gender. Stop putting a target on the students who feel uncomfortable about the gender-based distribution by not basing this on gender but rather on random division.
Evelyn MacMahon
Bromfield Class of 2015
