Some New Zealand students are being prevented from taking same-sex partners to school balls unless they sign contracts confirming they are homosexual, says Rainbow Youth.
The LGBT peer support network's education officer Serafin Dillon tells the Dominion Post she knows of four Auckland colleges that do not allow same-gender ball partners unless pupils sign contracts stating their sexual orientation.
"If this was in the workplace it would be discrimination and it would be unheard of. But because it's a school they think they can somehow get away with it."
The Human Rights Commission is aware of policies barring pupils who want to take same-sex ball partners, and says excluding someone on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender is potentially unlawful.
Rainbow Youth has planned an alternative Ball next Saturday night in Auckland – where "it doesn't matter who your date is - or who wears the dress!"
Overnight this story appeared on gay blogger websites around the world, where readers were shocked to discover student same-sex couples would have to sign any sort of 'pledge'.
"Having them sign a contract is not only discriminatory, but creepy as hell. What are they afraid will happen?" commented one reader on popular gay American blog Queerty.com. "Why don't the straight students have to sign something to confirm their heterosexuality?"
