Kerala schools adopt standard uniform for all students to promote gender-neutrality

With the implementation of a standard uniform for all of its students, a government lower primary school in Valayanchirangara, Ernakulam district, Kerala, has demonstrated the way forward for gender neutrality. While Kerala's teacher dress code has recently come under scrutiny, a lower primary government school in the state has set an example by adopting a gender-neutral uniform for its kids. This means that all students, regardless of gender, must wear the same uniform. The practice has been established at a school in the district, according to ANI. C Raji, the school's then-headmistress, implemented the gender-neutral uniform policy in 2018. 

The outfit comprises of shirts and three-fourth pants. According to the report, 90% of parents and children agreed that gender-neutral uniforms were a good idea. Raji also stated that the idea came to her after she noticed females having difficulty wearing skirts.

This isn't the only school in Kerala that wears gender-neutral attire. This policy is in place at three additional schools, however, one of them has yet to execute it. According to Onmanorama, Ranni Government Lower Primary School in Pathanamthitta district used gender-neutral uniforms in 2014, while Karyambadi Government Lower Primary School in Wayanad has done in 2018. A similar decision had been made two years earlier at the Pilicode government school in Kasargod, but it could not be implemented owing to COVID-19-related issues.

Gender-neutral uniforms in Kerela school

The state's dress code for teachers was recently debated when Higher Education Minister R Bindu stated that requiring teachers to wear sarees is incompatible with Kerala's modern mentality. Bindu stated that one's choice of clothing is purely personal and that no one has the authority to criticise or interfere with another's sartorial choices. Following concerns from several professors that several universities in the state continue to employ such policing, the Higher Education Department issued a circular in this respect.

"The government has already made clear its stance in this regard multiple times. Teachers have every right to dress as per their comfort in Kerala regardless of the kind of institutes they work at. This practice of imposing sari on our teachers is not conducive to Kerala’s progressive attitude," Bindu told news agency PTI.

(With inputs from ANI/PTI)

Image: ANI