Mississippi school prom off after lesbian's date request

[evolveme]

As recently as Spring 2008, at least one Mississippi town still hosted racially segregated proms. Actor Morgan Freeman helped ensure his hometown's first integrated prom (by paying for it) and a documentary was made. Many students still refused to attend. So, I am hardly surprised that an entire event would be shut down because of a queer young woman's desire to attend her prom in my home state.

Here's the story on Charleston, Mississippi's first integrated prom.

[Apocalipstic]

It makes me nauseated how close minded people can be. I talk about how the South is great to live in....Yeah, Nashville where most people are from California, Michigan or New York.

ugh ugh ugh

[Greyson]

Originally Posted by Medusa

I just sent Constance a message on Facebook inviting her to our "Big Gay Prom" at the Reunion and wished her luck and strength.

Hopefully she will feel supported with an outpouring of love and good messages.

xo

Originally Posted by apretty

love this!

will you let us know if she responds? i'd love to be a part of sponsoring the couple! <3

Both great ideas. Count me in, please. I will say again, I think the Administraitors should be ready for some media attention at the Reunion. I just have a feeling, intutition if you will.

[Greyson]

Just a feeling Jack. Maybe my ideas about Little Rock? It is middle America. The "Gay Agenda" is very much on the radar of most media. Yes, it may be private property but how often does Little Rock get an LGBT event going on? Other then the local bar scene? If it is deemed a slow news day, why wouldn't media want to take a look at something that is not the everyday norm of Little Rock? With trepidation, I say "I have a feeling."

Here is another way to look at it. If the event did draw media attention, be ready, prepared to take control of it and take any of the sensationalism out of it. Present in a very matter of fact way, with intelligence, grace, ecetera. Do not allow "haters" to paint the community as abnormal, ignorant, evil, without humanity. Most of us here have straight parents, pay taxes, participate in many things that are not deemed to be part of the "gay agenda."

P.S. "Private" is pretty much non existent in today's world.

[Medusa]

YAY! I get to spout off about Arkansas!

I guess that unless you actually live here it's hard to see past the stereotypical "redneck" or "gay un-friendly" image. (Not talking directly to you here Greyson, just for the general masses)

A few factoids to help get the Queer-friendlyness of Arkansas into perspective:

* The little boy who refused to say the Pledge of Allegiance until Gays have equal rights and who was recently featured on CNN is from the Westfork School district here in Arkansas.
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sh...e-equal-rights

* The Miss Gay Arkansas pageant is 38 years strong.
http://www.missgayarkansas.com/ (and has been hosted at the Peabody Hotel, I might add)

* The Miss Gay America pageant was owned by an Arkansan (Norma Kristie) for almost 30 years. I think she bought it in 1975?

* Diversity Pride Events is one of the largest Pride events in the South, held in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
http://www.diversitypride.com/

* Little Rock has been hosting its own city-wide Pride events for multiple years and are WELL attended
http://www.littlerockcapitalpride.org/site/

* The Center for Artistic Revolution is a HUGE Queer-run 501c3 organization that does anti-oppression work all over Arkansas. It's director is a Queer Woman (who I believe is also a member of this site)
http://www.artisticrevolution.org/contents/index.php

* There are multiple Gay/Lesbian clubs all over Little Rock:
Here are a few:
Club UBU http://www.theaquarium.bizland.com/
Discovery Night Club (the oldest and largest in Arkansas and owned by Norma Kristie, former Miss Gay America 1973) http://www.latenightdisco.com/
Backstreet Club http://www.backstreetdanceclub.com/
(There are actually 7 total GLBT-only clubs in the metro Little Rock area)

* The Diamond State Rodeo Association is a GLBTQ organization for Gay and Lesbian cowboys and cowgirls, folks who do rodeo pageants, and they host multiple social events.
http://www.dsra.org/


* Multiple Gay and Lesbian churches.
Here is one with a specifically Gay membership:
http://littlerock.about.com/gi/o.htm...urc/index.html

* Openly Gay House of Representative, Kathy Webb:
http://www.victoryfund.org/endorsed_.../candidate:116

* Multiple support groups for Trans folks:
http://ar-tg-support.org/


I could list the multiple openly gay-owned and operated businesses that fly Pride flags year-round but I'd be here all night.

I just want folks to realize that there will be an element of homophobia in EVERY city. Hell, I experienced a great deal of it living in Los Angeles and Atlanta and I bet that most folks would consider them incredibly gay friendly. Arkansas is in the South, for sure, but being a Southern city doesn't equal "podunk" or "redneck" or any of the other number of ignorant things I have heard folks say.
It's a smallish cosmopolitan city
I highly doubt we would be on the news unless someone called it in. (I don't intend to)
The Miss Gay Arkansas pageant hasn't ever made the news here (to my recollection) and the only time a Gay Pride event made the news in a negative light was when the first Pride parade was held in Conway, Arkansas (where yours truly was the Grand Princess) and some dumbass spread horse manure on the parade route the night before.
I will also add that they found out who dumped manure on the route and prosecuted it as a hate crime.

No city is perfect, but both Jack and I feel incredibly safe here. We hold hands walking down the street and have never thought twice about giving each other a kiss in public. People pretty much mind their own business.

[Greyson]

Originally Posted by Medusa

YAY! I get to spout off about Arkansas!

I guess that unless you actually live here it's hard to see past the stereotypical "redneck" or "gay un-friendly" image. (Not talking directly to you here Greyson, just for the general masses)

A few factoids to help get the Queer-friendlyness of Arkansas into perspective:

* The little boy who refused to say the Pledge of Allegiance until Gays have equal rights and who was recently featured on CNN is from the Westfork School district here in Arkansas.
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sh...e-equal-rights

* The Miss Gay Arkansas pageant is 38 years strong.
http://www.missgayarkansas.com/ (and has been hosted at the Peabody Hotel, I might add)

* The Miss Gay America pageant was owned by an Arkansan (Norma Kristie) for almost 30 years. I think she bought it in 1975?

* Diversity Pride Events is one of the largest Pride events in the South, held in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
http://www.diversitypride.com/

* Little Rock has been hosting its own city-wide Pride events for multiple years and are WELL attended
http://www.littlerockcapitalpride.org/site/

* The Center for Artistic Revolution is a HUGE Queer-run 501c3 organization that does anti-oppression work all over Arkansas. It's director is a Butch (who I believe is also a member of this site)
http://www.artisticrevolution.org/contents/index.php

* There are multiple Gay/Lesbian clubs all over Little Rock:
Here are a few:
Club UBU http://www.theaquarium.bizland.com/
Discovery Night Club (the oldest and largest in Arkansas and owned by Norma Kristie, former Miss Gay America 1973) http://www.latenightdisco.com/
Backstreet Club http://www.backstreetdanceclub.com/
(There are actually 7 total GLBT-only clubs in the metro Little Rock area)

* The Diamond State Rodeo Association is a GLBTQ organization for Gay and Lesbian cowboys and cowgirls, folks who do rodeo pageants, and they host multiple social events.
http://www.dsra.org/


* Multiple Gay and Lesbian churches.
Here is one with a specifically Gay membership:
http://littlerock.about.com/gi/o.htm...urc/index.html

* Openly Gay House of Representative, Kathy Webb:
http://www.victoryfund.org/endorsed_.../candidate:116

* Multiple support groups for Trans folks:
http://ar-tg-support.org/


I could list the multiple openly gay-owned and operated businesses that fly Pride flags year-round but I'd be here all night.

I just want folks to realize that there will be an element of homophobia in EVERY city. Hell, I experienced a great deal of it living in Los Angeles and Atlanta and I bet that most folks would consider them incredibly gay friendly. Arkansas is in the South, for sure, but being a Southern city doesn't equal "podunk" or "redneck" or any of the other number of ignorant things I have heard folks say.
It's a smallish cosmopolitan city
I highly doubt we would be on the news unless someone called it in. (I don't intend to)
The Miss Gay Arkansas pageant hasn't ever made the news here (to my recollection) and the only time a Gay Pride event made the news in a negative light was when the first Pride parade was held in Conway, Arkansas (where yours truly was the Grand Princess) and some dumbass spread horse manure on the parade route the night before.
I will also add that they found out who dumped manure on the route and prosecuted it as a hate crime.

No city is perfect, but both Jack and I feel incredibly safe here. We hold hands walking down the street and have never thought twice about giving each other a kiss in public. People pretty much mind their own business.

Thanks Medusa. I'm glad to see that maybe some of my ideas, concerns are out dated. I have never been to Little Rock, and I do support doing Queer events in cities and towns that may not be immediately seen as tolerant.

As for feeling safe, I don't feel safe much of the time but that is not necessarily about geographical location. I think living most of my life as an obvious gender non-conforming Butch, I am perhaps too vigilant.

[Medusa]

Originally Posted by Greyson

Thanks Medusa. I'm glad to see that maybe some of my ideas, concerns are out dated. I have never been to Little Rock, and I do support doing Queer events in cities and towns that may not be immediately seen as tolerant.

As for feeling safe, I don't feel safe much of the time but that is not necessarily about geographical location. I think living most of my life as an obvious gender non-conforming Butch, I am perhaps too vigilant.

We'll see what you think
The downtown Little Rock area is really cosmo and has lots of shops, food, and entertainment for every taste. I think folks are going to be surprised

[Greyson]

"The Miss Gay Arkansas pageant hasn't ever made the news here (to my recollection) and the only time a Gay Pride event made the news in a negative light was when the first Pride parade was held in Conway, Arkansas (where yours truly was the Grand Princess) and some dumbass spread horse manure on the parade route the night before.
I will also add that they found out who dumped manure on the route and prosecuted it as a hate crime."

You were the Grand Princess of the Pride Parade? Fabulous! I want pictures. Please post some of your pics from this in the gallery.

I have a pic somewhere from about 25 years ago wearing white shorts, one of those shirts with the alligator insignia wearing the starched shirt collar up, sunglasses and riding the float from the LGBT Center in Los Angeles. Hmm, maybe this should be in an 80s thread?

[Medusa]

[quote=Greyson;65129][QUOTE=Medusa;65092]The Miss Gay Arkansas pageant hasn't ever made the news here (to my recollection) and the only time a Gay Pride event made the news in a negative light was when the first Pride parade was held in Conway, Arkansas (where yours truly was the Grand Princess) and some dumbass spread horse manure on the parade route the night before.
I will also add that they found out who dumped manure on the route and prosecuted it as a hate crime.

You were the Grand Princess of the Pride Parade? Fabulous! I want pictures. Please post some of your pics from this in the gallery.

I have a pic somewhere from about 25 years ago wearing white shorts, one of those shirts with the alligator insignia wearing the starched shirt collar up, sunglasses and riding the float from the LGBT Center in Los Angeles. Hmm, maybe this should be in an 80s thread?

I can only post pics if there is a thread entitled "Things I will never wear again" (ohhhh, that "Good n' Plenty" skirt was SUCH a bad idea!)