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Smooth transition
Elite Adelaide all-boys school supports first transgender student .
By NCA NewsWire
An elite all-boys school in Adelaide has thrown its support behind a senior who opened up to their peers about transitioning to become a female .
Prince Alfred College is allowing the year 12 student to remain at the school and complete their final year of studies .
The student , now known as Alice , has become the first transgender female student at the prestigious school .
It has been reported that principal Bradley Fenner wrote a letter to parents and caregivers advising them of Alice ’ s story and the school ’ s decision to support her during her studies .
He explained that Alice , who had been a student at the school since the Early Learning Centre , stood up in front of about 150 of her peers and told them she was transgender and identified as a woman .
“ The response from the year 12 cohort was , as we would have hoped and expected , both respectful and supportive ,” Mr Fenner said in the letter .
“ Alice has been dealing with gender dysphoria for some time and has been well supported in her journey by a range of professionals , both within and outside the college .
“ We are aware of some transgender PAC Old Scholars , but Alice is the first student to transition whilst at the college .
“ It was Alice ’ s desire and preference to remain at Prince Alfred College and we support her fully in this .”
Mr Fenner told ABC Radio Adelaide that he believed it was “ very powerful ” when Alice addressed her peers , telling them : “ This is who I am and this is who I ’ ve always been .
“ It ’ s very much a statement about who she is ,” he said .
“ She said at the beginning she was sure some of them would not be surprised about this but overall we ’ ve been very pleased with the response . The boys have been very respectful and supportive .
“ A number of the comments I ’ ve had back from our parents … have reflected on the great courage she has shown .”
The principal said some parents and students had raised questions and suspected some would be opposed to
We ’ ve been very pleased with the response . The boys have been very respectful and supportive .
the decision , but he said the school knew “ what was right ” and was “ proud ” to have a transgender student enrolled .
“ Our role as a school is to support all of our students and not just those who conform to the way things have always been ,” he said .
Mr Fenner said the school was in discussions with Alice to determine what she was comfortable wearing but denied claims a new uniform was being designed .
Parents were provided with links to websites like trans101 . org . au and minus18 . org . au and were encouraged to look at them .
The school , established in 1869 , is situated in 9.8 hectares of land on the fringe of Adelaide ’ s CBD .
More than 800 students are enrolled at the college that has annual tuition fees starting at more than $ 35,000 for high school . ■ educationreview . com . au | 5