Feminist t-shirt censored- An 8th grade student wore a t-shirt with "Feminist" printed on it, and the next thing that happened shocked her as it sprawled over the media and became a national headline.
Sophie Thomas wore the Feminist t-shirt censored when she posed for her class picture, but to her dismay, the word "Feminist" was missing on her t-shirt after looking at the printed class photo.
After inquiry, Principal Kendra Young of Clermont Northeastern Middle School in Ohio stated that it was her decision for putting the Feminist t-shirt censored. Although Young claimed that Thomas didn't violate the school dress code, she feels that others may find it "offensive," the Fox Dextroit reports.
"I sat down. No one said anything to me," Sophie Thomas stated, but after looking at the class picture that her classmate ordered, she was disappointed. "I checked it to make sure I didn't look dumb or anything - closing my eyes. I saw that they had removed the word from my shirt, and I was insanely upset."
Young claimed that it was her and the photographer's choice to edit the word "Feminist" from her shirt because the class photo she claimed will be available for everyone to purchase it and she wants to make the photo with the Feminist t-shirt censored be at least less contentious, the Fox 19 reports.
After seeing the altered photo, Thomas stated that she was very saddened of putting her Feminist t-shirt censored. She said she was not informed about it and she they didn't even ask permission from her that they are going to do something about it.
Superintendent Ralph Shell of Clermont Northeastern Middle School explained that the principal placed the Feminist t-shirt censored because of the alarming word of "Feminist" on it, which can be seen in the front row. He said, the word "Feminist" was airbrushed to remove it.
Thomas explained that wearing the Feminist t-shirt censored was "unintentional." The 8th grader said that she had worn the same t-shirt before and it was only that time that it was taken wrong. Thomas said she wore it that time to let others see that she stands for whatever she believes in.
"If you don't like it, you don't have to be my friend," Thomas claimed.
Thomas decided not to order a copy of the edited photo with her Feminist t-shirt censored. However, News Max reported that Young provided her a copy of the unedited one. The airbrushed class photo can still be seen on display at the middle school.
On Friday, Sophie Thomas made a national outcry by posting to Instagram and Twitter her call for "freedom of expression." She requested everyone participating in the protest wore shirts with words printed like "I Deserve Freedom Of Expression" Or "Feminism Isn't Offensive."
After the middle school Feminist t-shirt censored, Thomas earned support from the social media users who also believe in feminism and freedom of expression. Hashtags such as #IDeserveFreedomOfExpression and #KeepFeminismInSchools became viral.
After the controversial protest on Friday, April 17, the principal apologized to Thomas. Young asked Thomas what she really wanted out of the issues pertaining to the Feminist t-shirt censored.
Thomas who strongly believes her school needs to understand "feminism" asked her principal to let somebody come to school and speak about the subject. Thomas ended by requesting her principal help her promote it by making her school and community a better place to live in.
Kudos to Thomas who at early age already knows where she stands! Out of the Feminist t-shirt censored, there is something good that happened and it's something that her classmates should thank her for.
A photo posted by sophie not sophia (@idiotsophie) on Apr 13, 2015 at 11:59am PDT
