Transgender High School Senior Skips Graduation Over School's Transphobic Policy

Damian Garcia said he's 'fully respecting' the school's decision and himself by not attending the graduation ceremony.

Sunnivie Brydum

Sunnivie is the managing editor of The Advocate, and an award-winning journalist whose passion is covering the politics of equality and elevating the unheard stories of our community. Originally from Colorado, she and her spouse now live in Los Angeles, along with their three fur-children: dogs Luna and Cassie Doodle, and "Meow Button" Tilly.

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Sunnivie Brydum

May 23 2013 3:39 PM EST

November 17 2015 5:28 AM EST

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A transgender senior at St. Pius X Catholic High School in Albuquerque skipped his graduation Wednesday after the school refused to let the teenager wear the black cap and gown worn by male graduates, instead insisting he wear the white graduation garb worn by female students.

The Albuquerque Journal reports that the student, Damian Garcia, thanked his friends and supporters on Facebook Wednesday morning, noting that the school would not make an exception to allow Garcia to dress in gender-appropriate attire at graduation.

"I'm fully respecting this and myself by not walking and/or attending the ceremony at all," the Journal reports Garcia writing.

Garcia has been vocal about his disapproval of his school's refusal to recognize his gender identity, but acknowledged earlier this week that the private parochial school was unlikely to change its policy, which mandates that students dress in gender-specific graduation attire according to the gender listed on their birth certificate. Although Garcia legally changed his name last year, and family, friends, and faculty recognize him as male, the state of New Mexico won't change the gender marker on a birth certificate without a medical affidavit affirming that he's had expensive, experimental surgery that is generally not covered by insurance.