A school in Japan is allowing their male pupils to wear skirts and bows as part of a gender-fluid dress code.
The Kashiwanoha Middle School, in the city of Kashiwa, has been newly built and is set to open later this year.
In a big step forward for inclusivity, all pupils will wear the same type of blazer but will be able to choose between trousers and a skirt.
They will also be allowed to pick if they want to wear a tie or a ribbon tied in a bow around their neck.
School bosses had reportedly considered a no-uniform policy but a survey found that found that 90% of pupil’s parents wanted one for their children.
Last year it was reported that boys at Parson Street Primary School in Bristol in the UK had been allowed to wear skirts but that so far none had chosen to do so.
Head Jamie Barry told the Guardian: ‘For me, this was about creating a culture of acceptance.
‘Children are not born hom*ophobic or discriminatory, they are exposed to those influences as they grow up.
‘At Parson Street, we believe children should grow up seeing and experiencing equality, before any stigmas are created.’
Press in Japan have reported that the gender-fluid dress code is thought to be unprecedented in the country.
It was also reported that another middle school in the nearby Kanagawa Prefecture had allowed girls to wear trousers as it moved towards a unisex uniform policy.
The new middle school was created to take in pupils finishing Kashiwanoha Elementary School which opened in 2012 and is located next door
The two schools will a share swimming pool and cafeteria and older pupils will go to some classes there to smooth their transition.
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FAQs
If he feels comfortable and confident in a school uniform with a skirt, then absolutely he can wear one! In Japan and Korea, as well as many other countries, there are often different uniform options for boys and girls, so it's not uncommon to see guys in skirts at school.
Do Japanese students have to wear skirts? ›
Genderless uniforms
Historically, school uniforms in Japan are decided on the basis of sex, with trousers for male students and skirts for female students. However, in April 2019, public junior high schools in Tokyo's Nakano Ward began allowing students to choose their uniform regardless of sex.
Why did boys wear skirts to school? ›
Boys have been heading to school in skirts and PE kits amid a backlash over "boiling" school uniforms in the ongoing heatwave. A number of schools in south Wales have become embroiled in arguments over school uniforms as temperatures soar over 30C and they're only allowed to wear black trousers.
Why are Japanese school uniform skirts so short? ›
The length of the skirts is what girls fight for in junior high and high school. The shorter you get to wear it, the higher you are recognized in the school hierarchy system.
Is it OK for a boy to wear a skirt to school? ›
Most school dress codes do not have specific rules that stop students from wearing clothes usually worn by the opposite gender (think of how many girls wear 'traditionally-male' clothes like pants, ties, men's dress shirts, men's sneakers, or heavy work boots).
Where do boys wear skirts in school? ›
both boys and girls put on skirt as their uniform. Yes, but there is a reason. Welcome to Yakasura Secondary School, located in Uganda and was founded in 1926. The reason why boys put on skirt. is because the school was founded by a Scottish man.
Is it safe to wear a skirt in Japan? ›
Short skirts are totally acceptable in Japan (a lot of younger women wear them). Personally, I think longer skirts or ones that hit around knee-length are more comfortable when you'll be traveling and walking a lot. (Not to mention bending over to take your shoes on and off!)
Can Japanese girls wear the boys uniform? ›
In Japan, it has been a traditional practice for school uniforms to include skirts for girls and pants for boys. However, there has been ongoing discussion and change regarding gender-neutral dress codes and the freedom of students to choose the uniform that aligns with their gender identity.
Do Japanese school uniform skirts have pockets? ›
Most of the school uniforms in my city have a pocket in the skirt, because they're all the same design. The pocket is on the right hand side. Where there should be a pocket on the left, there is the skirt's zipper. In these pockets, you can carry fairly large objects.
Are boys allowed to wear skirts? ›
Outside Western cultures, men's clothing commonly includes skirts and skirt-like garments; however, in the Americas and much of Europe, skirts are usually seen as feminine clothing and socially stigmatized for men and boys to wear, despite having done so for centuries.
From the mid-16th century until the late 19th or early 20th century, young boys in the Western world were unbreeched and wore gowns or dresses until an age that varied between two and eight. Various forms of relatively subtle differences usually enabled others to tell little boys from little girls.
What culture do boys wear skirts? ›
Men wearing skirts (kilts) in Scotland is nothing unusual. This clothing is mostly won during official occasions and weddings but nowadays, men even put them on while going for a stroll. Men in Fiji started putting on skirts (sulu) not so long ago. This culture was embraced after they were colonized by the British.
What do Japanese school girls wear? ›
The girls school uniform is called sailor f*cku (セーラー服) and was first established in the f*ckuoka girls school “f*ckuoka Jogakuin” (福岡女学院). It was modeled after the uniform used by the British Royal Navy at the time, which the principal had experienced as an exchange student in the United Kingdom.
How long are Japanese uniform skirts? ›
In recent years, it seems that wearing a properly fitting uniform is the most stylish, the most kawaii choice. The once desirable shorter skirt length has now evolved to reach the knees.
What is the Japanese school girl style called? ›
Kogal is a school-girl focused substyle of Gyaru.
How do boys dress in Japan? ›
There are typically two types of clothing worn in Japan: traditional clothing known as Japanese clothing (和服, waf*cku), including the national dress of Japan, the kimono, and Western clothing (洋服, yōf*cku), which encompasses all else not recognised as either national dress or the dress of another country.
What is a Japanese male skirt called? ›
Today Japanese men usually wear the hakama only on formal occasions like tea ceremonies, weddings, and funerals. The hakama is also worn by practitioners of a variety of martial arts, such as kendo.
