SWEDEN For Henrik Theorin, principal at Hagaskolan in Umeå, it is important to break the social norms for how we dress. That’s why he one day decided to show up to work in a women’s dress, according to SVT Nyheter.

”I think it’s important to show that it’s fine to look and dress however you want. It is one of the important tasks for the school to do, to teach students this”, said Henrik Theorin to SVT. He also denies having any hidden agenda of sorts.

”There is not a statement in this (me wearing a women’s dress), Theorin said.

Hagaskolan offers school for students from six years old through 15. Theorin is the principal of the middle school part of Hagaskolan, with students usually between age nine and twelve.

For a few years the principal Theorin has, on and off, painted his nails, but this time, when the school had a LGBT Pride themed week, he also chose to wear a dress. He wants to give the students an understanding – if he as a principal can dress in that way, maybe it’s not as wrong as it seems.

”I want to show students at school that it’s actually okay for a guy to wear a women’s dress if he wants to. It’s nothing I do everyday but I want to show that it’s fine to break social norms, ”said Theorin.

The principal claims that he’s been getting positive feedback by people at school. Though it would have been better, he stresses, if no one reacted at all. Thus, the work on refining the ”Värdegrund” (Swedish term for values shared by a group or organisation) has yet ways to go at Hagaskolan.