It's coming up on prom season and that means somewhere in the United States a school will refuse to let a gay or lesbian student attend the prom with their same-sex date.
Last week, out lesbian student Constance McMillen in Mississippi became the latest to make news when the Itawamba County School District said it wouldn't host the April 2 prom at all because McMillen wanted to wear a tux and bring her girlfriend. The action, after the school had spent time and money planning the dance party, surprised even McMillen.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi promptly filed a lawsuit on McMillen's behalf against the school district, asking a federal judge to force the district to reinstate the dance it had abruptly canceled.
McMillen, a charming and soft-spoken 18-year-old, has been making the rounds and speaking to various news outlets. Last weekend she appeared via satellite on the Wanda Sykes Show, where Sykes, an out lesbian, surprised McMillen by inviting her to present Sykes with an award she is receiving at the upcoming GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles.
McMillen also said that her family has been supportive during this experience, which is a good thing. Mississippi is not the most welcoming state for LGBTs, although brave out young people like McMillen are certainly taking a stand. It's heartening to know a family supported their daughter during a stressful period.
While it is generally easier for young people to come out now as opposed to even 10 years ago, it is not easy to face the peer pressure that McMillen is experiencing from her fellow students. The school district's decision to cancel the entire prom because of one student is ridiculous, and more extreme than simply banning the LGBT student from attending – which is usually how these things play out – and is just as wrong. The district's action has led students at McMillen's school to criticize her. "Somebody said, 'Thanks for ruining my senior year,'" McMillen told the Associated Press.
Those students are missing the point. This is a great learning opportunity and they should be directing their anger not at McMillen but rather at the school officials who have trampled on McMillen's free expression rights by their actions. A young lesbian who wants to attend the prom with her date should be treated the same as any heterosexual student.
Milk Day plans revised
This year's inaugural Harvey Milk Day is fast approaching and many activities had been planned in San Francisco. Unfortunately, an awards show that was to be held at the Masonic Auditorium has been canceled and that's too bad. We know that organizers have been working hard but could not get enough sponsors to underwrite the event, coupled with other logistical issues.
But other events are shaping up and this May 22 should be a fun day of activities for all ages in San Francisco, including a street party in the Castro and a breakfast.
One of the aims of Harvey Milk Day was to create the special day of significance so that students throughout the state could learn about Milk and his many accomplishments before his life was suddenly cut short by an assassin's bullet. The exhibit at the California Museum in Sacramento, where Milk was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame last December, offers a great look at Milk's life and has some unique artifacts. Local classrooms should arrange field trips to the museum if they haven't already. Stuart Milk, the openly gay nephew of Harvey Milk, is working with groups in the capital city on a fundraiser that will take place at the museum in mid-May.
Overall, May should be bursting with events around California in honor of Milk, and students will learn an important – and accurate – history lesson.
This approach contrasts with recent decisions by the Texas state school board, which recently voted to have textbooks changed to omit significant historical events. Since Texas is one of the country's largest purchasers of textbooks, school districts in smaller markets and states may be forced to use inaccurate books.