H/T to RightGirl for this one.
There are a few adjectives I’m considering using for this post: clever, mean, petty, frigging hilarious? I give up, take your pick.
I was trying to find an old post to link this to, but apparently I never actually wrote about it. So, here’s the jist: 17-year old lesbian extraordinaire Constance McMillen wanted to attend her prom at Itawamba County School in Mississippi with a female date, and she wanted to wear a tuxedo instead of those lovely dresses that end up wrinkled in a heap on the floor of the empty science classroom a hotel. So, the girl feels she’s being discriminated against and goes to the ACLU, who tells the school that they can’t make her act straight, nor can they ban her from the prom. Then, the school gives up and cancels it, which apparently wasn’t allowed either, so they put it back on.
Now, the story has taken a bit of an interesting turn.
From The Advocate: (No, I had never heard of it either…)
To avoid Constance McMillen bringing a female date to her prom, the teen was sent to a “fake prom” while the rest of her class partied at a secret location at an event organized by parents.
McMillen tells The Advocate that a parent-organized prom happened behind her back — she and her date were sent to a Friday night event at a country club in Fulton, Miss., that attracted only five other students. Her school principal and teachers served as chaperones, but clearly there wasn’t much to keep an eye on.
[...]
Two students with learning difficulties were among the seven people at the country club event, McMillen recalls.
Okay firstly, the school in question is a public school, so I really don’t think they should have been able to discriminate against this girl based on her lifestyle choice. I disagree with her, but I respect her right to freedom of expression. That being said, I also respect the rights of the other students at the school and their parents, and their right to set up a privately-sponsored, separate event that was taking place at the same time. The principal and a few teachers were in attendance to chaperone the country club prom — is it their responsibility if no one shows up?
I must admit, however, that I find it amusing that Miss Holier-Than-Thou-Lesbian feels the need to point out that there were two developmentally-challenged people in attendance of the country club prom. Is she saying that she feels they weren’t worthy of her presence?
If anyone involves themselves in this situation legally apart from the students at the school and the lesbian, a scary precedent will be set for being able to sue people for not inviting you to a party. If that’s the case, then seriously, I’m making a killing off of everyone I went to high school with.
You are a disgusting, ignorant homophobe Andrew.”Miss Holier Than Thou Lesbian” what are you trying to accomplish by this? This girl has been through a gross oppression, and you’re defending the values that oppressed her in the first place.
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I believe the point she way trying to make about the students with learning disabilities is that they were also being discriminated against for a part of them they have no control over (IE: they were also not wanted at the privately-organized prom).
You may have a point Brian. Either way I think this was horrible what happened to her, I just think it’s a bit messy if the school or the courts (or the ACLU) starts intervening in private parties.
I agree Andrew, cause if we’re going to go down the track of getting the ACLU involved in private parties (which is what EVERY single prom is when it is located off of school grounds) then there’s a few more million in damages I can collect to heal my poor psyche (damaged by almost a full decade as a teenager). Seriously, this sounds like a case of one chick being irritatingly vocal just for the sake of being irritatingly vocal.
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HUH? Lawton writing something almost vaguely sort of maybe a little tolerant of homosexuality? It’s not still April 1st is it???
In all seriousness, I was actually (semi-)pleasantly surprised by your (semi-)tolerant tone in this piece. Don’t get me wrong, I clearly take issue with your bizarre need to refer to Constance as “lesbian extraordinaire”, “Miss Holier-Than-Thou-Lesbian”, and “the lesbian” instead of using her name, but your defense of her discrimination claim was quite the pleasant surprise! I agree that there is no grounds for legal action with regard to the private prom issue – and from what I’ve read Constance has no intent to pursue legal action against the other students or parents – but it completely within her right to freedom of expression to let everyone else know what douchebags/bigots/asshats/what have you the other people in this town are. As well, I agree with Brian that the point Constance was likely trying to make is that the students with learning disabilities were also being discriminated against, not expressing distaste at attending a social function with them.
I’m trying this new non-partisan thing SPCB, how am I doing so far?
I was chatting about this with Ari this evening — being the advocate of free speech that I am, I would be a hypocrite to suggest that Constance (better?) not be allowed to express herself by wearing a tuxedo or exercising her right to be a lesbian by bringing her partner. If the school were a private school, then there *may* be a case, but that’s not the issue at hand.
It was mean what the other kids do, but I think for the first time in StrictlyRight history we agree on something! In other words, they’re all jerks, but legally they’re in the clear.
(And by the way, Johnson: even one of my harshest critics acknowledges that I was rather tame in this post! You will NOT like some of the other stuff you read here…)
Totally agree Andrew. I don’t think you could possibly find a good cause to bring litigation against the kids/parents who set up the private party, particularly because the school event went on as planned… in other words, they made a conscious decision to not attend that function, and do something else, well within their rights.
Doesn’t mean they aren’t jerks for doing it though!
“Either way I think this was horrible what happened to her”
So many things about this post, the title in particular, make this statement hard to believe.
Haha and what would those reasons be Ryan?
As a homosexual, I’m quite offended by this.
I think there are some homophobic undertones to your post — but good job for at least acknowledging that she has a right to express herself.
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