You've probably heard of Constance McMillen, the 18-year-old lesbian who fought for the right to bring her girlfriend to her prom in Fulton, Mississippi.
She won a court order after the school cancelled the prom rather than allow her to attend. Then they organized another one for her.
But when her big night arrived it turned out to be a fake prom.
What nasty little white trash bigots. And what a sad story. Although there was something to celebrate:
Two students with learning difficulties were among the seven people at the country club event, McMillen recalls. "They had the time of their lives," McMillen says. "That's the one good thing that come out of this, [these kids] didn't have to worry about people making fun of them [at their prom]."
Meanwhile in Cochran, Georgia, Derrick Martin has been told by his school that they can't stop him from bringing his boy friend to the prom.
But he's feeling the heat from other students.
“I don’t believe in going up there and dancing with gay guys like that,” she said. “It’s also not just him bringing a boy. It was bringing all this attention to it.”
We knew Derrick was gay,” said Keith Bowman Jr., a high school senior who showed up at the rally. “They don’t want (Cochran) to be known as a pro gay town.”
They are talking about organizing a separate prom.
And oh yeah...like so many other gay teenagers he's been kicked out of his home.
As a result of the media attention, Martin’s parents have kicked him out of their home, and he’s staying with a friend in Cochran.
Martin’s father is a math teacher at Bleckley County High and is the school’s Teacher of the Year.
Great eh?
I know all too well that what doesn't kill you can make you stronger.
And that Constance and Derrick are setting a magnificent example for gay kids everywhere.
My heroes.
But when will this cruel bigotry end?
