Mar. 24, 2010 - Issue #753: Zion I
Queermonton
Not invited to the dance
Prom a microcosm for the queer struggle in society
Our tale starts with The Itawamba Agricultural High School prom being scheduled for April. Constance McMillen, went to her vice principal to ask if she could attend with her girlfriend. He told her no. In January, she returned to the same administrator and asked if she could wear a tuxedo. He, again, said no and told her she would not be allowed in if she did, adding "I know it's not a big deal for a girl to wear a tux but if a guy shows up in a dress, I'm not letting a guy in with a dress on.”
It got worse. Constance was informed that the girls could attend, if they arrived separately. They could not hold hands, they could not kiss and they could not slow dance. If it made someone uncomfortable, she was told, they could be thrown out. Sounds like a real fun time, doesn't it?
It truly is a terrible story. Constance's treatment is unfair and unjust. But why the hell are we so surprised? Do all these folks in such an uproar live in some other North America, one that has high schools with safe and inclusive environments created for queer students and everyone else to enjoy?
According to studies conducted in the USA by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), 90 percent of students report hearing homophobic language at their school. 87 percent of LGBTQ students reported being verbally harassed due to their sexual orientation or gender expression. It's easy to look down on Mississippi, but if we do, we ignore our own problems.
What's odd is how long this fight has been going on. In 1980, a Rhode Island student by the name of Aaron Fricke sued and, rather shockingly for the time, won the right to attend prom with a male companion. A Utah girl and the ACLU used the Fricke case in 2004 to win the right to dance with her girlfriend at the ceremony. 8 years ago Marc Hall from Oshawa, Ontario sued his school to be allowed to bring his boyfriend to prom. The Durham Catholic School Board argued their right to religious freedom. Hall won, but these kind of costly, tiresome and emotional fights are a burden a teenager could live without.
The ACLU created a Facebook page for Constance that has so far garnered 400 000 fans and her profile has attracted an incredible 300 000 friend requests. An online campaign was initiated to try to get Ellen Degeneres to host a prom for Constance in Mississippi. Surprisingly, the politically-phobic Ellen of late, the one that's the housewife's gay Oprah, actually heeded the call. Constance was invited on Ellen's show and offered to put on the event, but the girl turned it down, stating all she wanted was the school to allow her and her girlfriend to go to the official one. The clip ended with Ellen presenting a $30k scholarship from Tonic.com, money which had been raised by donors, and informed her that she would be offered a summer internship with them in NYC. Not quite a happy ending yet, but getting there.
Other prom offers came rolling in. A hotel owner in New Orleans offered an inclusive prom to McMillen's school and included paying for their transport. The school turned it down. Instead, an alternate event, which Constance is not invited to, will be held at a furniture store in Tupelo.
High school is just a reflection of the rest of society, all magnified with copious amounts of hormones. In this world, where's the surprise that same-sex couples aren't welcome at graduation? Constance can't get married in Mississippi, she can't adopt with her partner, she can't expect equal health care, she can't serve in the military and she isn't protected from harassment. Prom is really kind of a lesser concern.
GLSEN and the ACLU are directing supports to a bill now pending in Congress. The Student Non-Discrimination Act would prohibit LGBT discrimination in K-12 public schools and leave easier recourse if administration took action like they did against Constance.
For now, a hearing has been set this week between Constance and the school district. The ACLU suit alleges that her freedom of expression rights have been violated. I hope she wins. I truly am in awe of 18 year old Constance McMillen, stronger than a hell of a lot of gays I know. I just hope we can step-off the left-wing pedestal long enough to really see the real fight, instead of directing our horror at the backwaters. It happens here, too. V
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