Mira Costa Votes For Unified Grad Gowns For Gender Equality

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA – Mira Costa High School Principal Ben Dale wanted to change the graduation tradition of genders separate and in different colored gowns in the name of gender equality and identity. When he proposed the idea to the Associate Study Body two weeks ago, they unanimously supported him.

Instead of green graduation gowns for boys and gold gowns for girls, 2018 graduates will wear all wear white gowns and be intermingled during the ceremony. The Manhattan Beach school's senior class voted on white gowns, with roughly 170 votes out of about 350 students, according to Daily Breeze.

“The color of a gown doesn’t rise to the level of access to learning and athletics and activities,” Dale told Daily Breeze. “It’s certainly not on the scale of Title IX. But from a gender equity standpoint, there is an argument made there that you don’t want to distinguish boys and girls in that way.”

Schools in the South Bay seem to be split on keeping the tradition or wearing uniform graduation gowns. Mira Costa joins Palos Verdes Peninsula, Palos Verdes high schools, and Torrance high schools with unified gowns, while Redondo Union and El Segundo High maintain the gender-separate gowns.

Read more at Daily Breeze

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