Tuxedo veto, let alone the lesbianism
March 12th 2010 05:47
Constance McMillen
VYOOS EDITORIAL
We all have decisions to make in life, and the decisions we make define us.
Constance McMillen, of the Mississippi town of Fulton, population about 4,000, decided she wanted to go to her high school prom with her lesbian partner, and she wanted to go dressed in a tuxedo.
The district school board of Itwamba County decided to take issue with the clothing side of McMillen's intentions. A female may not attend a prom, they said, wearing a tuxedo.
The American Civil Liberties Union then informed the Itwamba County school board that its decision was illegal. Not letting McMillen wear a tuxedo violated her rights of free expression. Further, the ACLU said, please note that banning same-sex prom dates is a violation of students' rights.
The Itwamba County school board decided, that being the case, they would cancel the prom "due to the distractions to the educational process caused by recent events''. In a true political soft-shoe shuffle, it mentioned neither Constance McMillen nor the ACLU.
As a consequence, Constance McMillen decided that she had made a mess of things for everyone and couldn't face going back to school. Her father decided to say a few words. It was important, he said, to face her classmates, teachers and officials. "Daddy told me that I needed to show them that I'm still proud of who I am,'' said Constance.
Back at school, Constance faced some hostility. "Thanks for ruining my senior year," said one student, who has a bright future on the Itwamba County school board.
But Constance was back in the groove which gave her the courage and confidence in the first place to propose going to the prom on her own terms. "The fact that this will help people later on, that's what's helping me to go on," she said.
Good decision.
source, picture: www.dallasvoice.com
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