CASTING CATASTROPHE

Trans Texas Student Stripped of Theater Role Over School’s New Gender Policy

Max Hightower was set to play the male lead in “Oklahoma!” until his school suddenly implemented a new policy.

A Texas high school senior who identifies as transgender was cast as the lead role in the school play only to have it taken away by a new policy that said actors can only play roles according to the gender they were assigned at birth. Max Hightower told local network KXII he was devastated after being cast as the male lead in “Oklahoma!” at Sherman High School. He had previously played traditionally female supporting roles in other school productions but was allowed to wear male dress. In a statement, the school district said the policy on how students are cast in roles doesn’t apply to every show the school puts on but does for “Oklahoma!” The statement also bizarrely added that the entire show was going to be postponed due to sexual content and profanity. “I want every kid to be recognized and noticed and allowed to be themselves,” Hightower told KXII.