Video of Philippine LGBTQ student given forced haircut sparks anger, calls for inclusive policies

Dozens of protesters in Manila marched on March 15 at the grounds of the Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (EARIST) over the video showing the tearful transgender student having her hair snipped off by a schoolmate. The video was shared on Facebook by the national LGBTQ alliance Bahaghari.

The school’s student handbook states male students should observe a “barber’s haircut” of a short back and sides while female students with colourful hair highlights are not allowed on campus.

Bahaghari leader Arri Samsico told This Week in Asia that EARIST’s haircut policy had affected more than 50 LGBTQ students, most of whom had to shorten their hair to be allowed admission. According to LGBTQ advocates, the policy fails to take into account the sexual orientation and identity of LGBTQ students.

Samsico said transgender students had been raising the issue of the school’s haircut policy with its administrators since October. The administrators later verbally agreed to allow transgender students to enrol for the first term without the haircut conditions.

Yet administrators appeared to have backtracked and told the LGBTQ students earlier this month that they would not be able to enrol for the second term unless they comply with the haircut rules.

Other transgender students from different schools who faced similar experiences as the student in the video have begun contacting the group, according to Samsico.

Manila’s city council, which funds the local college, said it planned to investigate reports of the enforced haircuts.

EARIST agreed last Saturday to suspend its hair policy and review its handbook guidelines after a mediated dialogue with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) – the governing body of colleges