Homophobia Cancels Mississippi Prom

Prom is one of the most popular high school traditions in the United States. You dress up, take pictures, eat dinner and dance the night away. Well, this won’t be the case for students at Itawamba Agricultural High School in Fulton, Mississippi.

After learning that 18-year-old Constance Mcmillen would wear a tuxedo and escort her girlfriend to prom, the school sent around a notice, saying that students could not bring same-sex dates to prom. Constance went to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Mississippi for help. The ACLU sent a letter to the school demanding that Constance be allowed to bring her date to prom. The school board responded by cancelling the event all together. The ACLU is still fighting to have the school reinstate the prom and allow Constance to wear a tuxedo and bring her girlfriend.

Students should have the right to wear a tuxedo or dress to prom and to bring dates, no matter their dates’ gender. Do you want to support Constance and take a small step in tackling the issue of homophobia? Dress You Up in My Love/The Nationwide Equality Prom is a virtual prom that will be held on April 2nd, the day that Constance should be having her prom. People everywhere are encouraged to dress up as if they were attending prom to draw attention to this issue. Why should prom be limited to teens with a specific sexual orientation or gender identity? Teens everywhere should be free to express themselves and be comfortable being who they are.

—Chelsea Sirico, 17, Staff Writer