Lesbian Teen Banned From Prom Will Lead Pride Parade

Constance McMillen, the Mississippi teen banished from her school's prom for wanting to bring a girl (she's been out as a lesbian her entire high school career), has garnered national attention for Itawamba Agricultural High School. The school was sued by the ACLU and they canceled the prom... or so everyone thought. She was actually sent to a decoy prom attended by 7 other people, while the rest of her senior class had a real prom at a secret location. Now NYC is welcoming the teen with open arms: she's been named the grand marshal of the Gay Pride Parade this year!

The Heritage of Pride organization, which runs the parade, recently announced the news, which was confirmed by McMillen's lawyer, according to the NY Times. The parade will be held on June 27th this year, and prior to that McMillen will be attending a prom in San Francisco organized by the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

While both coasts are embracing her, she's still being ridiculed by classmates, who have even started a Facebook page called Constance quit yer cryin.

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By Jen Carlson in News on April 15, 2010 12:12 PM

Comments [rss]

S.K.

at 17, she's too young to become a poster child for sexual liberation. Let Constance grow up a bit, go to college, then become a spokesperson.

ozik

in the meantime, let her be what she wants to be. this wouldn't have been an issue if her town hadn't made it one.

S.K.

i agree. but suppose the town had not made it an issue. suppose the prom had taken place on schedule. and suppose the lesbian couple would not be bullied and attacked at said prom.

robingee

But that did not happen. If everything had gone well there would be no need for her to be a spokesperson. You are never too young to make a difference and stand up for your rights! How is putting it off and going to college "first" going to help? I'm not ready to stand up for my rights, let me go to college and grow up first. What?

JenChungsBaby

If she's ready to munch rug then she's ready to stand up for her rights.

ocm123

http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2010/04/before-fake-prom-iahs-discriminated-against-juin-baize/

inoyourider

Are high schools mandated to accept transvestites?

"This made Juin hopeful because in the past, every time he liked a school he got kicked out or run off. "

So he gets off on confrontation?

inoyourider

Good for her.

That being said, the prom she didn't get invited to should be referred to as the "Non-school sponsored prom".

The one she went to was the real prom.

It was the parents who set up the alternate version, and it was well within their rights to invite who they wanted.

silver

Sieg Heil!

lk4630

It's interesting to see so many people so outraged about the concept of discrimination while simultaneously bashing people from the south.

SubwayWeekender

Well done, you have correctly guessed the reason everyone in flyover country hates people in NYC et al. Because we talk about diversity and tolerance and proceed to bash all things southern. That being said, the SPECIFIC people who did this are assholes. Specifically.

Geoelh

I'd like to go to a decoy prom. It would be free of jocks, douches, cheer-hos and klan-types.

JenChungsBaby

I was hoping Eric Massa would be the grand marshall this year.

jt10000

That's funny.

BiddyMarple

I can almost promise you that in a few months, Gothamist will run an article of this girl with her new boyfriend, with a caption reading, "Lesbian Prom Girl Isn't Lesbian Anymore". Let the betting start at $5.

robingee

Because being gay is like, totally a choice and teenagers who are gay are just going through a phase! Are you stupid?

Jamie McDonald

Beat me to the punch. I'm totally on this girl's side and think she should be allowed to do whatever she wants, and that the school is one thousand percent in the wrong, but c'mon, look at this girl. Odds are that she'll be straight by graduation, if not start of junior year.