Christian Bales was on top of the world when he found out that he was going to be Holy Cross’s in Covington, Kentucky’s valedictorian. The Catholic graduation, though, went ahead without him giving the traditional commencement speech last Friday. You see, his speech, was too “political and inconsistent with the teaching of the Catholic Church,” according to the Diocese of Covington.

Bales, though, insists that his speech didn’t include anything about his sexuality nor the fact that he identifies as gender non-conforming.

“I did not think the speech was polarizing at all,” Bales told the Times.

He says that his speech was an impassioned plea to his fellow classmates to use their voices, and he even highlighted some of his classmates achievements.

The school also wouldn’t allow the student body president to give her speech.

The two got back at the school bigly.

They decided to get a bullhorn and give their speeches anyway—immediately following graduation.

“It was very empowering,” Bales told the Times. “The people who were surrounding us were the ideal audience.”