When a transgender student in Brazil was recently fined for wearing a skirt to school, a group of male classmates rose to support her in spectacular fashion — by all showing up at school wearing skirts themselves.
According to the U.K.’s Orange News, 17-year-old Maria Muniz, a student at Rio de Janeiro’s Colégio Pedro II, was fined by school officials who said that she was breaking a school rule that states that male students must wear trousers.
After the punishment, Muniz reportedly agreed to change out of the skirt. Little did she know, however, that a few of her classmates would soon put up a fight on her behalf.
Brazilian news outlet R7 reports that a group of about 15 boys showed up to Colégio Pedro II wearing skirts on Sept. 2 to support Muniz and her clothing choice. A photograph of the boys posing in their skirts has gone viral in recent weeks:
Muniz says she was moved by her classmates’ support.
"I am really happy about the way my classmates supported me and I hope it serves as an example to others to feel encouraged to do the right thing. I was always taught at school to accept who you are, I am only trying to live that,” she said, per Orange News.
On their part, school officials say that they are absolutely against “intolerance and discrimination,” and have said that they are open to discussing a change in their uniform policy, R7 reports.
"The sexual orientation is not important for us, all our students are equal," the principal of the school said, according to Orange News. "However, the uniform determines male and female clothing, but we will study a new manual of coexistence."
As the story of Muniz and her classmates goes viral, netizens everywhere have been showing their support for the teens with the hashtag #VouDeSaia, meaning "I'm going in a skirt" or "wearing a skirt."
“Such a beautiful display of working together to beat transphobia,” wrote one Twitter user Monday.
“Faith in humanity: RESTORED,” declared another.
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