Keep Stepping Constance

Close your eyes. Imagine your senior prom soon close at hand. Tux, check. Fits perfect and you look amazing in it. Your girlfriend has picked out a beautiful dress and she looks stunning. The day is getting closer and you can not wait. After all, is prom not suppose to be the most important time of your teenage life? Suddenly the prom is canceled. Will no longer be held. The Itawamba County School District reports it is "Due to the distractions to the educational process caused by recent events". Everyone at the school is extrememly upset. What events could lead to the cancelation of the most important night in a students life? In case you have not heard, the distraction is 18 year old Constance McMillen. Did she threaten anyone at the school? Did she bring weapons to school? Did she tell someone she was planning something for prom night? Well, actually yes. The "distraction to the educational process, was nothing more than her wanting to share the importance of the prom with her date, who happens to be her girlfriend. Constance simply wanted to wear a tuxedo to the prom and be accompanied by her date, her girlfriend. The school has stated this goes against policy and has decided to cancel the prom instead, leaving many of her classmates extremely mad at her. As if it is not hard enough for the torment and ridcule many young LGBTQ people face in society already, a school has to throw another log on the fire by making, no, provoking, her classmates to turn against her. Thankfully, this will not stop here. The American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi has filed a lawsuit in order to force the school to hold the prom. Good luck Constance. You are a role model for many people. Do not give up, and be proud of your stand. For those of you who are thinking this is a south thing, I can not really blame you. Was it not in Mississippi that a school still found it neccessary to hold segregated proms, one for Black students, and one for White students? However, please keep in mind that the only thing that seperates Canada from the US is the largest imaginary line in the world. Think back to 2002 when a gay student in Toronto wanted to bring his boyfriend to the prom. Seems to me it want the same way. The school refused based on his sexual orientation. The courts forced the school to hold the prom, and forced them l to let him attend. It is the small fearful steps taken by youth like Constance that make the biggest change...keep stepping.