Students stage walkout after transgender student is denied access to female locker room

Texan transgender student, Kendall Tinoco, 16, said that before this year there had been no issue with her using the restroom or locker room. But a few days ago a teacher had told her to stay out of the women’s locker room. This caused her fellow students  to walk out of class in support.

Kendall had written about what had happened in an Instagram post:

Over the past few years I’ve been in transition, to be more specific I’ve been using the females restroom since the 7th grade. Teachers and staff has had no issue with it until now, earlier this month I was told I couldn’t use the locker room because there were “actual girls” in there. I let it slide thinking my teacher was transphobic and brushed it off continuing to use it. 

However today (9/22/21) yet again my teacher mentioned I could not use the locker room because I am trans, mentioned to her that I have a form specifically saying she has no right to tell a student that let alone tell them what locker room or restroom to use. I told her my situation regardless she insisted I change in a closet with a male dancer which is out of my comfort zone since I am female. (Read the full text here.)

“I just wanted to help make a change. Do whatever I could,” said Temple ISD Junior Akayla Shahan, according to KCENTV 6 News.

“We said what we had to say. We will not be silenced,” said Temple ISD student Stevie Williams.

Full  6 News report below: