He said he himself was "abusively outed" when he was a 15-year-old student at the school, an incident that he says left him suicidal. He also made allegations of revenge porn, transphobic bullying, and violence.
"St Kevin's is a bubble where privileged young men can rehearse oppression without consequence, before graduating with flying colours into public. A place where 'locker room talk' exists openly in hallways and classrooms," Robinson said.
"I saw a system designed to let young boys think they can do anything, assault anyone, and get away with it."
Robinson said he reached out to a former principal in 2019, detailing "the dark spiral of self-hate and gay shame the school put in me" and which he continues to struggle with. However, Robinson was not satisfied with the response.
This time, his concerns appear to have been heard. New principal Deborah Barker—the school's first female principal, who joined the school last year—sent a letter to parents and students on Thursday morning, saying she'd reached out to Robinson directly.
"I genuinely want to listen to, and fully understand, his heartfelt concerns and his personal journey," Barker told parents, per a report in The Age. "Most importantly, I want James to know that we care for him and acknowledge his courage for speaking out."
St Kevin's is no stranger to controversy. In 2019, students were filmed chanting a vile and misogynist song on a Melbourne tram, which included the lyrics: "I wish that all the ladies / were holes in the road / and if I was a dump truck / I'd fill them with my load."
A year later, a bombshell Four Corners report revealed that former principal Stephen Russell and the sports head provided character references for a convicted child sex offender, who had groomed a 15-year-old St Kevin's student. Russell resigned following the report.
Robinson dedicated the protest to "current students and victims of St Kevin's … who feel like their identity is slowly being chipped away by a hyper-masculine culture".
"This protest takes my healing full circle. I burn my blazer not in anger, but in hope for regeneration. I kiss my partner not in spite, but to bring love back to the only place that ever taught me shame."
The Age reports that Robinson has agreed to meet with the principal. Let's hope that this time, he's actually listened to.
If you would like to speak to someone about issues raised in this piece, please call 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit their website, or call Bravehearts on 1800 272 831 or visit their website.
If you are in distress, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
This article originally appeared on our sister site, Elle.