In the age of COVID, when mask wearing is rightly acknowledged and applauded, it’s strange that a marketing student arriving at his graduation ceremony should be turned away and told to change, but that’s what happened to 29 year old member of the Church of Jediism Patrick Day-Childs when he arrived at Southampton Guild Hall to collect his gown and register for the ceremony.
But 20 minutes before the ceremony last Friday, a member of staff approached him outside and told him that he couldn’t wear the outfit.
Patrick said: “I told her I wasn’t wearing jeans or trainers.
“I said I could take the armour off and wear what was underneath, and she just shook her head and said no.”
He went back to his car and removed his outfit, leaving the black jumpsuit he had on underneath, and then rushed back for the ceremony.
He added: “I anticipated that I wouldn’t be allowed in, but what frustrated me was the timing. It was 20 minutes before the ceremony.
“I understand that there are things you can’t wear, but there were people that were wearing jeans that were going up and getting their degrees. It was pretty frustrating.”
