Australian school criticized for allowing cross-dressing

CANBERRA, Australia – An Australian high school has created a national furor by allowing students to wear boy or girl uniforms regardless of gender.

An education department statement said Wednesday that the Newtown High School of Performing Arts in Sydney has changed its uniform policy to allow all students to "wear any part of the available uniform options."

Several parents and students have hailed the change as a boon for transgender students who previously needed a psychologist's report to get permission to cross-dress.

But the change was condemned as radical by the Australian Christian Lobby, an influential conservative advocacy group.

A number of federal government lawmakers this week backed the ACL's call to remove federal funding from a national program aimed at preventing bullying in schools that also advocates allowing cross-dressing.