A high school senior in Texas says he was expelled from his school for coming out as gay. Devin Bryant has attended Covenant Christian Academy, located in Colleyville between Dallas and Fort Worth, since pre-K school. Seniors at Covenant are granted special parking spaces at the school and the students are allowed to create personalized signs for their spots. In advance of the beginning of the new school year, Bryant designed a sign which read, “Super Hot, Fun, Attractive, Fast-driving, Insane, Very Smart, Outgoing, Party Freak, Young, Gay (as in happy don’t worry lol), Pretty, Reckless, Humble, Pyromaniac, Fun, Gay (as in homosexual this time, sorry) Person Parking Only.” His design was rejected immediately upon submission. After meeting with the principal, though, Bryant agreed to change his design. “I then had a meeting with the principal in which we discussed the content of the artwork, which I agreed to change,” Devin told the Dallas Observer. “And I promised to not be as vocal about my sexuality for the rest of the year.” With his new parking space artwork, which was immediately approved by the school, Bryant looked forward to his senior year. But just four days before the beginning of school, his mother, Consolata Bryant, was informed Devin would not be allowed to return to Covenant. Devin told the Observer he thinks the issue wasn’t just that he came out as gay, but he was out and proud. “I know of people who have gotten in trouble for stuff way worse than what I did,” says the high school senior. “And they were disciplined more lightly than me, which definitely leads me to believe that it wasn’t the content of the artwork I sent in that got me kicked out.” “If I would’ve come out and said that I was ‘struggling’ with same-sex attraction instead of saying that I’m gay, I think they would’ve had a totally different reaction, and I may have been allowed to still attend there,” he added. Devin Bryant (image via Devin Bryant) In an email to the Observer, Dr. Tony Jeffrey, headmaster for Covenant Christian Academy, defended the expulsion pointing to an enrollment document students and parents are required to sign each year agreeing to live “in accordance with the community guidelines.” “This Covenant Christian Academy enrollment document, signed annually, specifically outlines practices and behaviors consistent with the CCA mission, based on our deeply held religious beliefs,” said Jeffrey. “That includes adhering to the biblical principal [sic] that the expression of human sexuality is appropriate only within the boundaries of a marital relationship between one man and one woman.” Jeffrey added, “Devin Bryant is an outstanding student, and we wish him every success in his studies, and in life.” Devin says he’s never met Jeffrey and Jeffrey wasn’t in attendance for the earlier meeting when the parking sign issue was decided. Consolata is, understandably, angry. “Despite the resolution we had reached, [Jeffrey] had taken it upon himself within the couple of days he had been at the school to seek votes from the board for Devin’s expulsion,” says Consolata. “He secured the votes needed and thus was calling to let us know that Devin was not to report to school that Monday, the 10th, with his classmates.” According to Consolata, Jeffrey’s exact words were that “Devin had chosen an evil path that was contrary to the Bible and therefore was evil and he was only doing what Jesus would do.” Since his expulsion, Devin has enrolled at Colleyville Heritage High School and has been placed in several honors classes. Upon graduation, he plans to attend college with an eye towards a degree in sociology. (source: Dallas Observer)
Tony winner James Monroe Iglehart (Aladdin) announced the nominees for the 2020 Tony Awards this morning. The musical productions that scored big were the Alanis Morissette musical Jagged Little Pill (15 nominations), and Moulin Rouge! with 14 nominations. Tina: The Tina Turner Musical rounded out the Best Musical nominees leaving The Lightning Thief as the only show locked out of contention. In the Play categories, Jeremy O. Harris’ Slave Play garnered a whopping 12 nominations (the most ever for a play) and Matthew Lopez’s awesome gay-centric The Inheritance was honored with 11 nominations. Bess Wohl’s Grand Horizons, Adam Rapp’s The Sound Inside, and Sea Wall/A Life from Simon Stephens and Nick Payne join the first two productions in the Best Play category. An interesting quirk: Only Aaron Tveit, the leading man for Moulin Rouge!, was nominated for “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical.” Chris McCarrell, the leading man for The Lightning Thief, was the only other possible nominee given the eligibility constraints. Not sure why the nominating committee decided to not even afford him a nomination…but don’t count Tveit as the winner just yet. As the rules below state, Tveit will still need to garner at least 60% support from Tony voters to actually win the award.
As we all are painfully aware, the 2019/2020 Broadway season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, and Broadway theaters were forced to close on March 12 (and will remain so until June 2021 at the earliest).
The Broadway League and American Theatre Wing agreed to an eligibility cut-off date of February 19 for this year’s Tony nominations which allowed for a total of 18 productions to be considered.
No official word at this time on when this year’s awards ceremony will be (virtually) held.
Best Play Grand Horizons by Bess Wohl The Inheritance by Matthew Lopez Sea Wall/A Life by Simon Stephens and Nick Payne Slave Play by Jeremy O. Harris The Sound Inside by Adam Rapp
Best Revival of a Play Betrayal Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune by Terrence McNally A Soldier’s Play by Charles Fuller
Best Musical Jagged Little Pill Moulin Rouge! The Musical Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play Joaquina Kalukango, Slave Play Laura Linney, My Name is Lucy Barton Audra McDonald, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune Mary-Louise Parker, The Sound Inside
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play Ian Barford, Linda Vista Andrew Burnap, The Inheritance Jake Gyllenhaal, Sea Wall/A Life Tom Hiddleston, Betrayal Tom Sturridge, Sea Wall/A Life Blair Underwood, A Soldier’s Play
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical Karen Olivo, Moulin Rouge! Elizabeth Stanley, Jagged Little Pill Adrienne Warren, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical Aaron Tveit, Moulin Rouge!*
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play Ato Blankson-Wood, Slave Play James Cusati-Moyer, Slave Play David Alan Grier, A Soldier’s Play John Benjamin Hickey, The Inheritance Paul Hilton, The Inheritance
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play Jane Alexander, Grand Horizons Chalia La Tour, Slave Play Annie McNamara, Slave Play Lois Smith, The Inheritance Cora Vander Broek, Linda Vista
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical Danny Burstein, Moulin Rouge! Derek Klena, Jagged Little Pill Sean Allan Krill, Jagged Little Pill Sahr Ngaujah, Moulin Rouge! Daniel J. Watts, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical Kathryn Gallagher, Jagged Little Pill Celia Rose Gooding, Jagged Little Pill Robyn Hurder, Moulin Rouge! Lauren Patten, Jagged Little Pill Myra Lucretia Taylor, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Best Book of a Musical Jagged Little Pill, Diablo Cody Moulin Rouge!, John Logan Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Katori Hall with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre A Christmas Carol, Christopher Nightingale The Inheritance, Paul Englishby The Rose Tattoo, Fitz Patton and Jason Michael Webb Slave Play, Lindsay Jones The Sound Inside, Daniel Kluger
Best Direction of a Play David Cromer, The Sound Inside Stephen Daldry, The Inheritance Kenny Leon, A Soldier’s Play Jamie Lloyd, Betrayal Robert O’Hara, Slave Play
Best Direction of a Musical Phyllida Lloyd, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical Diane Paulus, Jagged Little Pill Alex Timbers, Moulin Rouge!
Best Choreography Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Jagged Little Pill Sonya Tayeh, Moulin Rouge! Anthony van Laast, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Best Orchestrations Tom Kitt, Jagged Little Pill Katie Kresek, Charlie Rosen, Matt Stine, and Justin Levine, Moulin Rouge! Ethan Popp, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Best Scenic Design of a Play Bob Crowley, The Inheritance Soutra Gilmour, Betrayal Rob Howell, A Christmas Carol Derek McLane, A Soldier’s Play Clint Ramos, Slave Play
Best Scenic Design of a Musical Riccardo Hernández and Lucy Mackinnon, Jagged Little Pill Derek McLane, Moulin Rouge! Mark Thompson and Jeff Sugg, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Best Costume Design of a Play Dede Ayite, Slave Play Dede Ayite, A Soldier’s Play Bob Crowley, The Inheritance Rob Howell, A Christmas Carol Clint Ramos, The Rose Tattoo
Best Costume Design of a Musical Emily Rebholz, Jagged Little Pill Mark Thompson, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical Catherine Zuber, Moulin Rouge!
Best Lighting Design of a Play Jiyoun Chang, Slave Play Jon Clark, The Inheritance Heather Gilbert, The Sound Inside Allen Lee Hughes, A Soldier’s Play Hugh Vanstone, A Christmas Carol
Best Lighting Design of a Musical Justin Townsend, Jagged Little Pill Justin Townsend, Moulin Rouge! Bruno Poet, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Best Sound Design of a Play Paul Arditti and Christopher Reid, The Inheritance Simon Baker, A Christmas Carol Lindsay Jones, Slave Play Daniel Kluger, Sea Wall/A Life Daniel Kluger, The Sound Inside
Best Sound Design of a Musical Jonathan Deans, Jagged Little Pill Peter Hylenski, Moulin Rouge! The Musical Nevin Steinberg, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
*In categories with only one nominee listed, such as Leading Actor in a Musical, an affirmative vote of 60 percent of the total ballots cast will grant an award in that category
Productions With Multiple Nominations: Jagged Little Pill – 15 Moulin Rouge! – 14 Slave Play – 12 Tina: The Tina Turner Musical – 12 The Inheritance – 11 A Soldier’s Play – 7 The Sound Inside – 6 A Christmas Carol – 5 Betrayal – 4 Sea Wall/A Life – 4 Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune – 2 Grand Horizons – 2 Linda Vista – 2 The Rose Tattoo – 2
Keegan Hirst (image via Twitter) Some news items you might have missed: • OUT: Some residents of Heber, Utah, complained about rainbow banners being flown from lampposts on Main Street during Pride Month saying Pride and LGBTQ+ rights were political and did not represent the values or beliefs of the community. So the city passed a new ordinance raising the costs and generally making it more difficult to continue the practice. • AP: South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem on Tuesday blamed South Dakota’s recent surge in coronavirus cases on an increase in testing, even as the state saw a new high in the number of people hospitalized by the virus. • New Music: In her new single, “Head and Heart On Fire,” Swedish singer/songwriter LÉON perfectly summarizes the instantaneous feeling one has the moment they meet someone and are immediately taken aback by their presence; aware of how strongly they set everything inside of you ablaze. The pop/folk track is both intimate and universal in expressing that moment: “You set my head and heart on fire, wish I could go back to that night, you’ll be forever on my mind.”
• Washington Blade: Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett continued to have no comment Wednesday on whether she’d overturn LGBTQ rights decisions, including the milestone Lawrence v. Texas ruling decriminalizing same-sex relations or the Obergefell ruling in favor of same-sex marriage. • New York Times: Amy Cooper, the white woman who called the police on a Black bird-watcher in Central Park, made a second, previously unreported call to 911 in which she falsely claimed that the man tried to assault her. When the police arrived, Cooper admitted that her reports were untrue. She’s reportedly negotiating a plea deal with prosecutors that would allow her to avoid jail. • BBC: Keegan Hirst (top photo), who became the UK’s first openly gay professional rugby player when he came out in 2015, has announced his retirement from professional rugby. “Be brave, be bold. Embrace change and f*cking go for it.”
Thank you Rugby League. It’s been emotional.
Thank you to all my teammates, opponents, coaches, staff and mostly, the fans. Remember, Rugby League is ALWAYS the winner. pic.twitter.com/Vtu8jjXnpA — Keegan Hirst (@KeeganHirst) October 8, 2020
Gay Republicans, choosing to ignore Donald Trump’s anti-LGBTQ record, are instead organizing so-called ‘Trump Pride’ events in battleground states. The first of the events, held Tuesday evening in Newton Square, Pennsylvania, featured homocon Richard Grenell (former U.S. Ambassador To Germany) who has led the late-in-the-game LGBTQ outreach for the Trump campaign, and Trump’s daughter in law, Lara Trump. Queer folks, including activist/author Michelangelo Signorile, made note of the fact that the announcement didn’t use “LGBTQ” or “gay” in the announcement, so we’re not sure how much ‘pride’ was involved there.
Look at this closeted event, in which neither “gay” nor “LGBTQ” is mentioned, Trump himself is not involved, and the whole thing is in code: “Pride” in rainbow letters. pic.twitter.com/AnXXO8M8lh
— Michelangelo Signorile, subscribe to my newsletter (@MSignorile) October 11, 2020
Charles Moran, a co-chair for the ‘Trump Pride’ coalition, told the Washington Blade a second event is scheduled for Wednesday night in Phoenix, Arizona. Out conservative journalist, Chadwick Moore, currently the editor for the Log Cabin Republican’s Outspoken project, is scheduled to attend. Additional gatherings are reportedly planned for Tampa, Florida, and more. Prior to the ’Trump Pride’ events, a group calling itself OUTspoken held a gathering in Nashville which attracted an estimated 75 gay conservatives. You’ll note not a trace of social distancing or face masks…
Moran told the Blade that the Nashville event was intended “to create a space to convene some of our major influencers and movement leaders in the center-right LGBTQ community.” Trump and virulently anti-LGBTQ Vice President Mike Pence phoned in during the event to address the group and “express their appreciation.”
Brandon Straka, who hosted a “Walk Away” rally in Nashville the same weekend, said he hopes the Trump events will lead to “freeing LGBT people from the clutches of the destructive Democrat (sic) party.” But not all Log Cabin Republicans are all the same page. As Instinct reported last fall, the organization’s endorsement of Trump for reelection led to several prominent members resigning from the group. As has been widely reported by media outlets, the Trump administration has been a disaster for LGBTQ people with attacks on queer rights in the workplace, in health care, in public accommodations, adoptions and more. (source: Washington Blade)
Donald Trump Donald Trump has been retweeting a conspiracy theory that Osama Bin Laden was not assassinated in 2011 but it was his ‘body double’ that was killed. From The Daily Beast:
President Donald Trump backed a budding conspiracy theory on Tuesday that four Americans were killed in the 2012 Benghazi attack to cover up the blood-sacrifice of Navy SEALs and the “fact” that Osama Bin Laden is still alive, marking what is perhaps the president’s strangest brush yet with far-right conspiracy theories.
Trump’s promotion of the new Benghazi conspiracy theory, which is fast gaining traction on the far right, came in the form of a retweet of a QAnon believer pushing the claim.
The president’s backing helped push the tweet about Benghazi above 14,000 retweets. Trump retweeted another video about the conspiracy theory later on Tuesday night, marking the second time he had promoted the Benghazi claims on Twitter.
The bizarre theory, which is outre even by the standards of the right’s usual Benghazi claims, also alleges that Osama Bin Laden’s body-double, rather than the terrorist mastermind himself, was killed in 2011.
(screen capture) One of the Navy SEALS who actually went on the mission to kill Bin Laden responded:
Very brave men said goodby to their kids to go kill Osama bin Laden. We were given the order by President Obama. It was not a body double. Thank you Mr. President. Happy birthday @USNavy
L-R Donald Trump, Joe Biden It’ll be dueling town hall events on Thursday instead of a debate. After refusing to participate in the scheduled second presidential debate of the 2020 cycle, Donald Trump has agreed to take part in an NBC News town hall event on Thursday at the same time former Vice President Joe Biden will take questions in an ABC News town hall to be hosted by George Stephanopoulos.
From NBC News: The town hall, moderated by “TODAY” anchor Savannah Guthrie, will take place on the same evening — and at the same time — that Joe Biden is doing his own town hall event in Philadelphia on ABC News at 8 p.m. ET.
Trump and Biden were supposed to hold their second debate on Thursday night, but Trump pulled out after organizers announced it was going to be conducted virtually. The last presidential debate is scheduled for next Thursday, Oct. 22.
During the one-hour town hall with Trump on Thursday, Guthrie will moderate a conversation between Trump and a group of Florida voters.
I know Trump loves to hear about his ratings. Because his NBC News town hall will be simulcast on CNBC and MSNBC, I’ll go ahead and predict he’ll probably get more viewers given the wider reach of three networks. But in the end, I doubt these events will change any voter’s mind.
L-R Judge Amy Coney Barrett, Sen. Mazie Hirono (screen captures) During Day Two of the confirmation hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) took time to point out Barrett’s use of the term “sexual preference” when mentioning the 2015 SCOTUS decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which brought marriage equality to the entire nation. Earlier in the day, Barrett had said she had “no agenda” and that “I have never discriminated on the basis of sexual preference and would not discriminate on the basis of sexual preference.” Hirono accurately called out the use of the term used by many anti-LGBTQ activists. “Not once but twice you used the term ‘sexual preferences’ to describe those in the LGBTQ community,” said Hirono. “Let me make clear, ‘sexual preference’ is an offensive and outdated term. It is used by anti-LGTBQ activists to suggest that sexual orientation is a choice.” “That sexual orientation is both a normal expression of human sexuality and immutable was a key part of the majority’s opinion in Obergefell,” added the senator. “Which, by the way, [Justice Antonin] Scalia did not agree with.” LGBTQ folks haven’t gotten much focus in this election cycle, but this lands bigtime. Bravo, Sen. Hirono. Barrett later apologized saying she “would never mean to use a term that would cause any offense in the LGBTQ community.”
Let me make clear – sexual preference is an offensive and outdated term. To suggest sexual orientation is a choice? It’s not. It’s a key part of a person’s identity. The LGBTQ+ community should be concerned with #WhatsAtStake with Judge Barrett on the Supreme Court. pic.twitter.com/4TWyATMX0Y
Some news items you might have missed: • Reuters: The 2023 European Games, a regional Olympic event, will be held in Krakow, Poland. The announcement was met with disapproval since Krakow has embraced so-called ‘LGBT-free zone’ ideology. • Gallup Polling: Donald Trump’s attempts to push-push-push the approval of a coronavirus vaccine before Election Day appears to have backfired as Americans’ willingness to be vaccinated quickly has dropped 11 percentage points, falling to 50% in late September. • The Hill: Former president Barack Obama (above) released multiple state-specific tutorials on how to vote on Tuesday, 21 days before the Nov. 3 election. The state-specific videos included battleground states like Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. #VOTE
• Washington Post: The federal prosecutor appointed by AG Bill Barr to review whether Obama-era officials improperly “unmasked” individuals whose names were redacted in intelligence documents has completed his work without finding any substantive wrongdoing. Conservatives have tried to paint the “unmasking” of names — a common practice in government to help understand classified documents — as a political conspiracy. • Politico: For the fourth time in 3 months, an ad promoting President Donald Trump’s reelection has used footage from Russia. • The Upshot: If you’re curious about the latest polls – both national and in battleground states – hit the link. The bottom line? Today’s newly-released results show “Biden is ahead, and his lead is either holding steady or widening.” • Election 2020: Bruce Springsteen himself gave his blessing to the use of his song “Streets of Philadelphia” for a new campaign ad titled, “America Needs Pennsylvania.” This might be one of the most powerful campaign spots of the 2020 cycle. #VOTE
Donald Trump arrives in Pennsylvania later today. We need more than **1 MILLION VIEWS** before he lands. Please RETWEET and QUOTE RETWEET. !!! TURN VOLUME UP LOUD !!! pic.twitter.com/vTIq88WDak — Don Winslow (@donwinslow) October 13, 2020
Donald Trump during a White House press briefing (public domain) Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to block lower court rulings that would allow the Manhattan District Attorney’s office to review several years of the Donald’s income tax returns. This comes after a federal district judge ruled against Trump’s legal team which had argued the District Attorney’s subpoena is “overbroad.” A federal appeals court agreed with the lower court’s assessment. More from CNBC:
If the Supreme Court agrees to hear his appeal, it will be the second time the court has taken the case, which is related to an ongoing criminal probe of the Trump Organization, the president’s company, by Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance Jr.’s office.
Trump’s lawyers in their filing Tuesday said “there is a reasonable probability that” the Supreme Court will take the appeal.
In the meantime, Vance has agreed to hold off on enforcing the subpoena pending the outcome of Trump’s efforts at the Supreme Court.
Vance is seeking the tax returns and other records as part of a probe that is known to be eyeing how hush-money payments to women who say they had sex with Trump were accounted for by the Trump Organization. The president has denied having sex with either woman, porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) brought up LGBTQ rights and specifically marriage equality during today’s confirmation hearing with Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett. Feinstein asked Barrett whether she believes marriage equality is settled law, but Barrett dodged on giving a clear answer. In public comments, Barrett has previously made it known she did not support the 2015 Obergefell ruling which made marriage equality legal across the U.S. She also believes Title IX doesn’t protect transgender people on the basis of sex discrimination. In responding today, Barrett used the anti-LGBTQ phrase “sexual preference” in referencing sexual orientation indicating that she believes it is a choice. The catchphrase is popular among those who oppose LGBTQ rights and maintain queer people could just choose to be straight if they wanted to.
The correct term is sexual orientation. “Sexual preference” is a term often used by anti-LGBTQ activists to imply that sexual orientation is a choice. https://t.co/rT6g95gsG1
Barrett used “sexual preference” (not “sexual orientation”) when discussing her views on marriage equality. This is a dogwhistle. The term “sexual preference” is used by opponents of equality to suggest that being #LGBTQ is a choice.#BlockBarrett#SCOTUSHearingpic.twitter.com/kkftq9l2l5 — Lambda Legal (@LambdaLegal) October 13, 2020
Right: “Sexual preference” the kind of language used by Alliance Defending Freedom, a law firm that opposes equal rights for LGBTQ people (including basic non-discrimination protections) and supports the criminalization of homosexuality.
Barrett used the term “sexual preference,” the big tell that she believes homosexuality is a “choice.”
Which means she believes it can be changed/decided otherwise. Which means she believes in conversion therapy. Which certainly means she doesn’t recognize marriage equality. — Michelangelo Signorile, subscribe to my newsletter (@MSignorile) October 13, 2020
Here is a clip of Sen. Feinstein asking the judge about her thoughts on both the Defense of Marriage ruling which SCOTUS struck down as well as the Obergefell decision.
Feinstein: “Both decisions were decided by a 5-4 margin. Justice Ginsburg was in the majority. Justice Scalia dissented in both cases. You said in your acceptance speech for this nomination that Justice Scalia’s philosophy is your philosophy. Do you agree with this particular point of Justice Scalia’s view that the U.S. Constitution does not afford gay people the fundamental right to marry?”
Judge Barrett: “If I were confirmed, you would be getting Justice Barrett, not Justice Scalia so I don’t think that anybody should assume that just because Justice Scalia decided a decision a certain way that I would too. But I’m not going to express a view on whether I agree or disagree with Justice Scalia for the same reasons that I’ve been giving.
“Now, Justice Ginsburg, with her characteristic pithiness, used this to describe how a nominee should comport herself at a hearing. ‘No hints, no previews, no forecasts.’ That had been the practice of nominees before her but everybody calls it the Ginsburg rule because she stated it so concisely and it’s been the practice of every nominee since. So I can’t, and I’m sorry to not be able to embrace or disavow Justice Scalia’s position but I really can’t do that on any point of law.”
Feinstein: “Well that’s really too bad because it’s really a fundamental point for large numbers of people in this country. I understand you don’t want to answer these questions directly but you identify yourself with a Justice that you, like him, would be a consistent vote to roll back hard-fought freedoms and protections for the LGBT community. And what I was hoping that you would say is that this would be a point of difference where those freedoms would be respected and you haven’t said that.”
Barrett: “Senator, I have no agenda and I do want to be clear that I have never discriminated on the basis of sexual preference and would not ever discriminate on the basis of sexual preference.
“Like racism, I think discrimination is important. On the questions of law, however, I just, because I’m a sitting judge and because you can’t answer questions without going through the judicial process, can’t give answers to those very specific questions.”
A high school senior in Texas says he was expelled from his school for coming out as gay. Devin Bryant has attended Covenant Christian Academy, located in Colleyville between Dallas and Fort Worth, since pre-K school. Seniors at Covenant are granted special parking spaces at the school and the students are allowed to create personalized signs for their spots. In advance of the beginning of the new school year, Bryant designed a sign which read, “Super Hot, Fun, Attractive, Fast-driving, Insane, Very Smart, Outgoing, Party Freak, Young, Gay (as in happy don’t worry lol), Pretty, Reckless, Humble, Pyromaniac, Fun, Gay (as in homosexual this time, sorry) Person Parking Only.” His design was rejected immediately upon submission. After meeting with the principal, though, Bryant agreed to change his design. “I then had a meeting with the principal in which we discussed the content of the artwork, which I agreed to change,” Devin told the Dallas Observer. “And I promised to not be as vocal about my sexuality for the rest of the year.” With his new parking space artwork, which was immediately approved by the school, Bryant looked forward to his senior year. But just four days before the beginning of school, his mother, Consolata Bryant, was informed Devin would not be allowed to return to Covenant. Devin told the Observer he thinks the issue wasn’t just that he came out as gay, but he was out and proud. “I know of people who have gotten in trouble for stuff way worse than what I did,” says the high school senior. “And they were disciplined more lightly than me, which definitely leads me to believe that it wasn’t the content of the artwork I sent in that got me kicked out.” “If I would’ve come out and said that I was ‘struggling’ with same-sex attraction instead of saying that I’m gay, I think they would’ve had a totally different reaction, and I may have been allowed to still attend there,” he added. 
