A transgender girls' college student was called to several meetings with teachers because she used the girls' toilets.

Stefani Muollo-Gray says she has as much right as any other student to use the girls' bathrooms at Marlborough Girls' College.

The 16-year-old has started an online petition, addressed to Education Minister Hekia Parata and the college, asking to be allowed to use the girls' toilets. The petition, created on Tuesday, has gained more than 3000 signatures.

SCOTT HAMMOND/FAIRFAX NZ Year 12 student Stefani Muollo-Gray, left, has the support of other students, including Michaela Waite-Harvey, to use the girls' toilets at Marlborough Girls' College.

The school says it wants to ensure other students feel comfortable and safe.

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"I just want to use the girls' bathrooms because I identify as a girl," Stefani said.

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Stefani became the first transgender student to attend Marlborough Girls' College when she started in February.

Marlborough Girls' College deputy principal Jo Chamberlain said the school's priority was to make Stefani's transition as smooth as possible.

Stefani said she had been using the girls' bathrooms without any complaints until a teacher saw her leaving the bathroom and raised the issue with other staff.

A meeting was called two weeks ago, where Stefani was asked what toilets she was using.

"Naturally, I told her I was using the girls' bathroom because I am a girl, and the majority of the school's bathrooms are for girls," she said in her petition.

She said she stormed out of the meeting when a teacher told her to use the boys' toilets because she was a boy.

A further meeting was called to discuss bathroom options, this time with the principal and other staff members.

Staff told Stefani she agreed to use the boys' bathrooms when she enrolled, she said in her petition.

"I had no recollection of that agreement ever being made. I told them that I very much wanted to be able to use the girls' bathroom, and that I have as much right as any other girl."

Several further meetings were held with "very little progress", she said.

Chamberlain said the school had a duty to ensure other students felt comfortable and safe using the girls' bathrooms.

Several bathrooms had been turned into unisex bathrooms by sticking a male figure, next to the female figure, on the door, Chamberlain said.

Those bathrooms were chosen because they had doors that reached the floor, she said.

Talks with Stefani were ongoing, and there would be further meetings, Chamberlain said.

"We are still considering all the options."

Stefani's friend, Michaela Waite-Harvey, said it was great the college had accepted a transgender student, and that the petition was attracting support nationally and around the world.

"We're such a small community, and usually small communities lag behind the bigger cities. But here Blenheim is blazing a trail. We've had people in Wellington saying they want it at their school."

Stefani planned to present the petition to the college in the next week or two.