Brody's Notes... 16 Year Old Cross-dressing Teen told to dress "More Manly"

Photo of Jonathan Escobar By The Associated Press

"I don't consider myself a cross-dresser," he said. "This is just who I am."

By Brody Levesque (Washington DC) Oct 7 | Jonathan Escobar dressed in vintage clothes, skinny jeans, wore make-up, wigs and lady's hats, which created enough friction in his Miami, FL home, that his parents sent him north to live with his older sister in Kennesaw, Georgia, in suburban Atlanta.

He had only attended school there for three days when an assistant principal at the North Cobb County High School told him that his appearance had caused a fight between other students and was disruptive. The principal added that he either should dress "more manly" or consider homeschooling.

"You can't wear clothing that causes a disruption," said Jay Dillon, spokesman for Cobb County. The district lists the dress code on its homepage. The rule states that students should "refrain from any mode of dress which proves to contribute to any disruption of school functions." School administrators and teachers are the final judge of the appropriateness of clothing, according to the rule. Dillon said he believed Escobar arrived at school in a dress and heels.

According to Escobar; he said he never wore a dress. He says he opted for "skinny" jeans all three days with flats. 

"I told myself I can't accept this," said Escobar, who wore a pink wig to school last Wednesday. Two days later, he withdrew himself from school. Escobar says he wasn't a disruption in the classroom, but he attracted attention in the lunchroom. "Everybody was surrounding me," he said. On his second day of school, Escobar says he was pulled out of class to speak with a police officer who told him he was concerned about the student's safety. "They should've told the students to back off," Escobar said. "They should have never given me the option of homeschooling or changing who I am."

In his short time at the school, Escobar apparently made hundreds of friends. By Tuesday evening, nearly 900 supporters had joined a Facebook group called "Support Jonathan." Many were planning to purchase a bright pink T-shirt with the same phrase.

Escobar says he wants to be allowed to attend school and eventually graduate. But he doesn't want to stifle what he calls his art.

"If I can't express myself, I won't go to school," he said. "I want to get the message out there that because this is who I am, I can't get an education." 

His previous high school didn't have an issue with the way he dressed, but his parents did. His sister, Veronica Escobar, urged her parents to let Jonathan come to live with her. Now she says she's shocked by what has happened.

"I didn't think they would take it this far," Veronica Escobar said.