Kayla Lemieux: A Canadian high school teacher has been placed on leave after controversial photos were published in the New York Post, revealing that someone resembling her wears massive Z-cup prosthetic breasts in the classroom.
Kayla Lemieux, a shop teacher at Oakville Trafalgar High School, has been suspended with pay, according to the Halton School District.
This comes after Education Minister Stephen Lecce and Halton Region MPPs Natalie Pierre, Stephen Crawford, and Effie Triantafilopoulos criticized the school board for failing to prioritize student safety.
Parents have voiced their concerns for months about Lemieux wearing prosthetic breasts in front of students. Photographs and videos taken in the school show her wearing tight clothing with large nipples protruding under the fabric of her top.
The controversy has resulted in numerous threats of violence against Lemieux and school officials. Board of Education meetings have been chaotic as they attempt to address the issue.
The situation gained international attention when the New York Post revealed that outside of school, Lemieux often ditches the prosthetics, wig, and makeup to appear as a man.
The photographs showed a dressed-down Lemieux wearing men’s sweatpants, sneakers, and a puffer vest, with no sign of her breasts, makeup, glasses, or wig. She claimed that the man in the photos was not her, but she admitted that she could not prove it.
Lemieux told the Post that she is not a transgendered person but was born intersex and began undergoing hormone replacement therapy in 2021.
She also claimed that her extra-large breasts are caused by a rare condition called gigantomastia, which involves developing extremely large breasts due to excessive breast tissue growth.
Although she admitted that she has never been officially diagnosed with the condition, she insists that her breasts are real.
Outraged parents have demanded that the Halton District School Board impose a dress code for teachers, which was initially rejected last year due to concerns about violating Ontario’s Human Rights Code.
In January, the school board agreed to develop a policy requiring that teachers maintain an “appropriate and professional” appearance.
Lemieux claims that she does not dress provocatively and that she will follow the direction of the board on what they mandated.
The controversy surrounding Kayla Lemieux has raised important questions about dress codes for teachers and the safety and well-being of students in the classroom.
While the school board has been criticized for its handling of the situation, it remains to be seen how they will respond moving forward.