It's prom season - and you know what that means: pretty dresses in all the stores, and heartbroken teenagers everywhere attempting to snatch a date. But to have the additional stress of knowing that you cannot bring your partner to that big dance - that's something I hadn't really considered. It's a very real issue for one lesbian couple in Mississippi
(story in quotes below), and probably elsewhere across the nation and around the world.
- How do you respond to anti-gay sentiment in your community?
- Do you take an active stand alongside GLBTQ friends?
- What prevents you from doing so?
- Share any examples from the news or personal experiences you have encountered with anti-gay policies.
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When I was in high school, there wasn't any issue over same-sex couples and prom. Friends would go as "dates" because tickets were cheaper to purchase as a couple. Women wore some classy, fun tuxedos without issue. I don't recall any men who wanted to cross-dress to the event, but I'm hopeful it would have been equally accepted. I took California's liberal spin for granted, and I figured the rest of the country would be as welcoming of these trends. But now that I'm living in the midwest, I'm starting to see more anti-gay sentiment creep up far more often. Perhaps it's because I have a Lesbian office-mate who mentions these things, but I think it might have more to do with the conservative nature of our institution and the students it attracts.
I respond to anti-gay sentiment by discouraging it. I am not outspoken about the matter, I do not write letters or take a stand. I do offer emtional support and encouragement to GLBTQ friends, and while I haven't participated in a pride parade, I'd like to.
I'm just glad I didn't attend
this high school in Misssissippi I'm not sure I could respond to the announcement politely.
Quote:
JACKSON, Miss. — A Mississippi county school
board announced Wednesday it would cancel its
upcoming prom after a gay student petitioned to
bring a same-sex date to the event.
"Due to the distractions to the educational process
caused by recent events, the Itawamba County
School District has decided to not host a prom at
Itawamba Agricultural High School this year," school
board members said in a statement.
Constance McMillen, an 18-year-old senior at
Itawamba, recently challenged a school policy
prohibiting her from bringing her girlfriend as her
date to the April 2 prom. McMillen, who is a lesbian,
and the Mississippi chapter of the American Civil
Liberties Union urged school officials to reverse the
policy both on McMillen's choice of date and attire.
She also wanted to wear a tuxedo to the dance.
ACLU attorney Christine Sun said her organization
receives requests for help every year from students
facing anti-gay prom policies. The complaints are e
specially prevalent in the South where attitudes
toward sexuality are more conservative, she said.
In the announcement, the school board encouraged
the community to organize a private prom. "It is our
hope that private citizens will organize an event for
the juniors and seniors. "We sincerely apologize for
any inconvenience this causes anyone," the
statement concluded. School officials did not
respond to calls seeking comment.
The announcement alarmed McMillen.
"Oh, my God. That's really messed up because the
message they are sending is that if they have to let
gay people go to prom that they are not going to
have one," she said. "A bunch of kids at school are
really going to hate me for this."
School officials told McMillen last month that she
could not bring her sophomore girlfriend to the
prom and also told her she could not wear a
tuxedo. The school then circulated a memo that
prohibited same-sex dates.
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