Trans teen loses Texas high school’s theater role over gender policy

Max Hightower stripped of role over policy that students must play characters aligning with gender identity assigned to them at birth

Weeks into his senior year of high school in Texas, Max Hightower earned a key male role for his campus's production of Oklahoma! the musical. But the trans teen's principal has since stripped the teen of the part, citing a new policy requiring students to only portray characters who align with the gender identity assigned to them when they were born.

Hightower and his family are now appealing the administrator's decision to the school board while the play is put on hold pending a review.

This article was amended on 10 November 2023 to clarify that the role Max Hightower initially got was a key male role, but not the leading role.