Acceptance makes for happier children, says principal, as school readies ‘rainbow’ toilets

A secondary school in Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) is now allowing its LGBTQ students to wear their hair in a way that best reflects their gender of choice.

Thanks to this measure, many male students at Boon Wattana School in the Northeast province’s Muang district were seen sporting shoulder-length hair, a right that was previously only given to female students.

Panwarit Patwimonsilp, a 16-year-old 10th-grader at the school who describes himself as LGBTQ, said he was “very happy” that his school allows students to wear their hair so it reflects their gender preference.

“Last year, I had to cut my hair like other male students. So, I didn’t have much self-confidence. But when I heard that the school will allow students to wear their hair the way they want, I began growing it back during the last school break,” the teen said. “This makes me want to attend school even more.”

School principal Wichien Thongklee said on Thursday that his school is the first to recognise students rights and freedom. He added that the decision to let students wear their hair the way they want was reached at a meeting between the school’s board members, executives, parents, teachers and student representatives before the end of last semester.

“This move has been widely welcomed by students and their parents,” he said.

The principal also said that all the LGBTQ students he met today looked happy. “This goes in line with the school’s policy of ‘good and happy learning’,” he said.

He added that the school is also building “rainbow” toilets, especially for its LGBTQ students, and expects the construction to be completed within a week. Wichien said his school will evaluate this policy to see if any improvements are necessary in the future.