LGBTQ news and entertainment
Some news items you might have missed: • AP News: Naval Academy plebes took two hours, 19 minutes, and 11 seconds to accomplish this year’s Herndon Climb – scaling a greased obelisk and swapping out a cup with a cap marking the end of their plebe year. Video at the link. Continue reading “Naval Academy Plebes Conquer Herndon Climb + More News”
There’s apparently a mystery afoot in Albuquerque regarding a surprise performance by a drag queen at a high school prom, and now death threats are part of the equation. Continue reading “Death Threats Following Drag Performance At High School Prom”
Cristian Hernandez (image courtesy – Cristian Hernandez)
Students at a Mississippi high school were given required attendance paperwork in order to attend prom that included language that clearly banned same-sex dates.
Via Yahoo News:
Students at Tremont Attendance Center in Mississippi were told to sign paperwork that included language stating that guests attending the Apr. 26th prom must be “of the opposite sex.” The rule was emphasized twice — in capitalized, bold letters — on the two-page form, and under a safety waiver that required student and parent signatures.
High school prom organizers that excluded same-sex couples from the upcoming dance deny the rule was homophobic.
“Guests must be 10th-grade–21 years old and of the opposite sex,” read the rule.
The form was shared on Facebook by Jack McCrory, a Tremont graduate whose niece is a current student. “From the open-minded and tolerant folks of the Tremont prom committee,” he wrote on Monday.
Trae Wiygul, the superintendent of Itawamba County Schools, did not respond to Yahoo Lifestyle’s request for comment.
He told WTVA, “The Itawamba County School District does not sponsor or endorse proms. If prom is being held, it is a private affair hosted by parents. Since this matter allegedly concerns a parent, who is also a teacher, any activity that person may have done during school hours concerning a prom was outside the scope of employment and is being investigated.”
Wiygul said a teacher who passed out the forms is being investigated.
According to WTVA, a parent involved with prom said the rule was an attempt at “crowd control,” so students could not purchase tickets for unofficial dates. “That’s not relevant to a person’s sex,” McCrory tells Yahoo Lifestyle.
A Facebook post, allegedly written by a Tremont student and sent to Yahoo Lifestyle, says the paperwork was passed out by “multiple teachers” prefacing an intercom announcement from the principal, which warned that students could not bring same-sex dates.
Joshua Tom, the legal director of the ACLU of Mississippi, tells Yahoo Lifestyle, “Preventing same-sex couples from attending prom is discriminatory and unconstitutional. We’d advise that the county doesn’t repeat its discriminating actions from nine years ago or face legal jeopardy.”
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| (images via Theodore Vidal) Theodore Vidal (L), Colin Beyers (R) |
It’s prom season, and like many couples across America, teenagers Theodore Vidal and his boyfriend Colin Beyers were making the most of the end of their prom night last Friday night.
The two high schoolers, in their matching navy blue tuxes and pink bow ties, took a stroll on the boardwalk in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, after their junior prom.
As they walked, they approached a rooftop bar where a rowdy group of quintessential “Jersey Shore bros” had been yelling at every couple who passed by to kiss.
Michael Del Moro, a producer for Good Morning America, happened to be out for ice cream with his boyfriend and family members when they noticed the rowdy “bros” and the cute couple at the same time.
Del Moro was initially worried about what might happen when the gay couple passed the group.
So was Vidal, apparently. He told the local ABC affiliate that he and Beyers readied themselves for the razzing. “It’s South Jersey. Guys pick on us for being gay a lot,” said 17-year-old high school junior. “It’s an area where you normally would get picked on and discriminated against.”
Vidal had come out when he was in 8th grade and knew well the bullying being gay can bring. He told Buzzfeed that he spent much of that year being attacked, bullied, ignored and told to “end his life.”
But, he and Del Moro were surprised when the rooftop crowd cheered, changing their chants of “Kiss her” to “Kiss him!” Vidal and Beyers hesitantly kissed one another, and rather than taunting the couple the rooftop crew went wild screaming their approval.
Vidal told ABC7, “The way it went down was amazing. It was so positive and so reinforcing that I could be myself and not get made fun of and I could be myself with who I love and not get made fun of for that.”
“A lot of people here think gay people aren’t strong or we’re more girly because we show emotion but we’ve learned it’s better to show what you are feeling and be open and who you are as long as you are pushing forward,” Beyers added.
The cute couple is now planning a summer trip to Greece together before Beyers begins his freshman year at the College of New Jersey this fall while Vidal wraps up his senior year of high school.
Del Moro later tweeted he actually knew some of the rooftop bar “bros.” They were apparently celebrating their friends’ bachelor party and loved the whole thing saying, “We are all very happy for those guys.”
Check out Del Moro’s full Twitter thread below.
A short thread from here in Seaside Heights, NJ, where—not so long ago—young men would shout the word “f****t” out their car window as we’d stroll along the boardwalk.— Michael Del Moro (@MikeDelMoro) May 12, 2018
Last night, while out for Mother’s Day with our families (read: getting some late-night ice cream because treat yourself!) we noticed a group of rowdy bros gathered on a rooftop bar obnoxiously yelling “KISS HER!” in unison at every apparent couple that passed by.— Michael Del Moro (@MikeDelMoro) May 12, 2018
It was quintessential “Jersey Shore” and, unfortunately, several couples obliged the request to raucous cheers thereby further encouraging the rowdiness. We rolled our eyes.— Michael Del Moro (@MikeDelMoro) May 12, 2018
It’s prom season here, so at that time of night you’ll see high schoolers in their formal attire. As we walked by the rooftop bros, an adorable teenage gay couple passed us in perfectly fitting midnight bue tuxes, matching pink ties, holding hands.— Michael Del Moro (@MikeDelMoro) May 12, 2018
I looked at Alec (my boyfriend), my mom, my sister, and stopped to make sure the couple was okay as they walked by… worried that something might happen. The rooftop crew quickly switched from “KISS HER!” To “KISS HIM!”— Michael Del Moro (@MikeDelMoro) May 12, 2018
After some hesitation, the young men kissed… and let me tell you: both the rooftop crew and everyone else on the boardwalk just went absolutely wild for them and we all breathed a sigh of relief.— Michael Del Moro (@MikeDelMoro) May 12, 2018
This is not a “look everything’s fine now, thread,” and yes… it’s New Jersey, but I just thought it was worth sharing and an encouraging moment for young LGBTQ folks out there.— Michael Del Moro (@MikeDelMoro) May 12, 2018
Omg… h/t to @JMiller_NJ for finding these two! Good for you being so brave and open Theodore and Colin! https://t.co/Moe0n87J6M https://t.co/oDtcsYSBXs pic.twitter.com/RidLuj3dUy— Michael Del Moro (@MikeDelMoro) May 12, 2018
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| Jacob Lescenski (L) and Anthony Martinez (R) |
Last week I wrote about Jacob Lescenski, a straight Las Vegas high-schooler, who won the internet by asking his gay best friend, Anthony Martinez to prom.
Anthony, a student council member who works tirelessly for their school, had earlier complained to his bestie that he couldn’t get a date to the big dance.
So, yesterday, Jacob and Anthony were guests on The Ellen Show, to talk about the internet’s reaction to their BFF moment.
Best moment: when Anthony admits he had a bit of a crush on Jacob when they first met, Jacob says he didn’t really know what to do with a gay guy having a crush on him. Ellen quips, “I have a crush on you, and I’m gay, too.” LOL….
They are both adorbs and a great example of how kids can grow up without judging others.
Ellen and Shutterfly decided to reward these boys for showing the world what true friendship is, but giving them each $10,000 toward their college education.
Hey hey hey! See what being inclusive gets you in life?
If this wasn’t the silliest thing to get upset about.
Last week, Claudetteia, 17, was told by Carroll High School Principal Taylor that she would not be allowed to attend her prom in Monroe, Louisiana, if she wore a tuxedo.
Seriously, who cares if a teenage girl wants to wear a tux. Didn’t Diane Keaton win an Oscar in 1977 for Annie Hall wearing men’s suits? And didn’t that start a huge fashion trend?
Geraldine Jackson, Claudetteia’s mother, met with Principal Taylor to discuss this further and was reportedly told that “girls wear dresses and boys wear tuxes, and that’s the way it is.”
Principal Taylor also reportedly claimed that approximately half of the faculty scheduled to work at the prom would refuse to chaperone if Claudetteia were permitted to wear a tuxedo.
Claudetteia and several of her friends originally planned on attending the prom together, but, because of the school’s refusal to allow Claudetteia to wear a tuxedo, have opted not go to the prom unless the school changes its discriminatory policy.
The negative response against Principal Taylor’s decision was swift. Two members of the Monroe County Board of Education, which oversees Carroll High School, vowed to ensure that Claudetteia would be allowed to wear a tuxedo to her prom.
Yesterday, Principal Patrick Taylor and Monroe City School Board President Bishop Rodney McFarland Sr. contacted Claudetteia Love, who is being represented by the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), to inform her that she will be allowed to wear a tuxedo to her senior prom on April 24.
“We are pleased to hear that Principal Taylor and the Monroe City School Board corrected this wrong before any serious harm was done. Forbidding girls from wearing a tuxedo to the prom would have served no purpose other than to reinforce the worst sorts of harmful stereotypes and censor a core part of Claudetteia’s identity,” said NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell. “The school is doing the right thing by supporting its students and teaching them the value of respect and acceptance of one another’s differences.”