No more prom king and queen

http://www.wzzm13.com/news/article/153526/2/Mona-Shores-wont-crown-prom-king-or-queen

I can't believe this passed in conservative West Michigan (part of the bible belt).

MUSKEGON, Mich. (WZZM) - There will be no king or queen at the Mona Shores High School prom this spring. The district is switching to a gender neutral prom court after a controversy during the election for homecoming king last fall.

"We did what we did because we feel it's right for our students," says high school principal Jennifer Bustard.

Last September, votes choosing 17 year old Oakleigh Reed for homecoming king were not counted because, although he identifies himself as a boy, anatomically Reed is a girl.

The new policy removes gender from consideration.

"All students can be a part of it if they choose," says Bustard. "If their peers would like to have two male representatives or two females or one of each, that will be their choice."

"I am glad the school is changing the prom court rules," Reed said in a statement released by his lawyer. "All I wanted was a chance for all students to participate."

The controversy over the district's decision not to let Oakleigh Reed compete for homecoming king made national headlines and attracted the attention of the American Civil Liberties Union.

Administrators say they don't think the transgendered student was looking for publicity or the opportunity to champion a cause.

"In fact, I think the exact opposite," says Bustard. "I think it was very difficult on Oakleigh this fall to get all of the attention. I think it really took a toll on him and it took a toll on all of here at the school."

The new prom policy affects the spring dance coming up in May. Administrators say the homecoming court next fall will probably also be gender neutral.

Reed has not said if he is interested in serving on the gender neutral prom court.

Why the Monarchy? They could simply go with a dictatorship and be done with it. That would get rid of this he is a Queen nonsense.

When will the chants for democracy begin?

But wait, the plan is already flawed. Kings an Queens are not voted into office.

What happens if a male is voted in who would prefer to be called a Queen?

How about if they pick 2 guys, and one would rather be known as the Queen? How would the King feel about his Queen? Can't wait to see what a bunch of immature High Schoolers can do with THAT one.

So let me get this straight. This person is known as a guy, identifies himself as a male, and is voted King.

And people get pissed off?

Why does the school think it is any of their darned business to get in this person's pants in the first place?

SVreX wrote: So let me get this straight. This person is known as a guy, identifies himself as a male, and is voted King. And people get pissed off? Why does the school think it is any of their darned business to get in this person's pants in the first place?

yeah, this. if the student's PICKED him then what's the big freakin deal? now if they hadn't allowed him to be on the ballot or whatever, that'd be different.

i dunno, we had a gay guy who occasional cross-dressed and brought a pair of lesbians as his "date" win as prom king. no one really cared. do other people really still take the prom court that seriously?

This was caused by the wowsers who decided that it was their business who his date should be, shame

SVreX wrote: So let me get this straight.

Unintentional pun of the day.

SVreX wrote: What happens if a male is voted in who would prefer to be called a Queen? How about if they pick 2 guys, and one would rather be known as the Queen? How would the King feel about his Queen? Can't wait to see what a bunch of immature High Schoolers can do with THAT one.

My wife's HS had that problem 20+ years ago. Some dude ran for homecoming queen, and won. The school was stupid enough to carry through with the whole affair. I'll note he was doing it as a prank on the school, not because he was gay or anything.

SVreX wrote: So let me get this straight. This person is known as a guy, identifies himself as a male, and is voted King. And people get pissed off? Why does the school think it is any of their darned business to get in this person's pants in the first place?

I would call myself a republican if more republicans thought this way! Do what you will, as long as no one gets hurt!

Joey

The bible belt has nothing to do with the story, but I don't see the issue of Kings & Queens, they are historical facts and for centuries have been the position people aspired to be in.

I do think it's just WRONG that a guy or gal runs under the wrong category.

The idea behind the king & queen in HS is to honor the most popular guy & gal. Regardless of how you dress or think if 2 guys or 2 girls gets voted in then you are discriminating against the sex that isn't represented.

Prom President and Vice President?

Remind me when I visit Michigan this summer not to drink the water!

It's Mona Shores, rich Muskegon burb bastards. Muskegon on the whole is "different" then the rest of West Michigan.

So what if the king isn't swinging a stick and the queen is, BFD. Most likely, it will be only a one year deal. Proper application of tolerance would to let it happen then act like it never happened the next year. Moving to gender neutral just doesn't solve anything, except feeling good about doing something.

In reply to carguy123:

Historically, didn't you have to be born into the position of even being able to aspire to royalty? If you were the eldest offspring, you were likely in, if you were younger, then you could aspire to exile/kill your older sibling and usurp the throne... Not that it's always been messed up, but I'm not sure that nobility has always been very... noble. (Yes, history is littered with stuff happening other ways, plenty of commoners getting crowns via marriage or murder; but isn't lineage the royal norm?)

Moreover, if according to the voting student body (the ones whose will is being carried out here), the most popular anatomical guy can't win the voting outright, how are they being discriminated against?

Further moreover (apologies to passing linguists), if I read the article correctly, the person mentioned didn't "run under the wrong category", or in fact choose to run at all. This was the choice of the student body, without that person's input, or even his approval.

joey48442 wrote:

SVreX wrote: So let me get this straight. This person is known as a guy, identifies himself as a male, and is voted King. And people get pissed off? Why does the school think it is any of their darned business to get in this person's pants in the first place?

I would call myself a republican if more republicans thought this way! Do what you will, as long as no one gets hurt! Joey

Dood. No kidding. I feel the exact same way. While Bob Heinlien had a utopian view his Republican values combined with an extreme respect for privacy was a good thing.

DOH! Thread jacking.

I don't see this as a bad thing. If you outlaw anyone from the homecoming court I know, as a student, I would've voted them in just to F with the school and authoritarians.

Xceler8x wrote:

joey48442 wrote:

SVreX wrote: So let me get this straight. This person is known as a guy, identifies himself as a male, and is voted King. And people get pissed off? Why does the school think it is any of their darned business to get in this person's pants in the first place?

I would call myself a republican if more republicans thought this way! Do what you will, as long as no one gets hurt! Joey

Dood. No kidding. I feel the exact same way. While Bob Heinlien had a utopian view his Republican values combined with an extreme respect for privacy was a good thing.

We exist. We just call ourselves Libertarians now.

The school realized their action was much cheaper than answering a lawsuit

so let's say there's one guy that is into chess / debate / dungeons and dragons / whatever the jocks are not into, and the jocks get enough votes to make that guy the queen, or the non-gender-specific matriarch, or whatever they're going to call it. does he have to slow-dance with the quarterback, and if so, what happens if they both throw wood?

joey48442 wrote:

SVreX wrote: So let me get this straight. This person is known as a guy, identifies himself as a male, and is voted King. And people get pissed off? Why does the school think it is any of their darned business to get in this person's pants in the first place?

I would call myself a republican if more republicans thought this way! Do what you will, as long as no one gets hurt! Joey

(sigh) I am not a Republican.

I never have been.

ransom wrote: Historically, didn't you have to be born into the position of even being able to aspire to royalty?

The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water, signifying by divine providence that I was to carry Excalibur. THAT is why I am your king.

In reply to Giant Purple Snorklewacker:

Is that from D&D or something?

Otto Maddox wrote: In reply to Giant Purple Snorklewacker: Is that from D&D or something?

"Oh, but you can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you..."

Oh, do shut up!

Ransom if you are talking proper succession then yes your parents needed to be royalty ahead of you, but how do you think the parents became royalty? Win a big fight and you now have your own dukedom or whatever you wanted to call it.

England had hundreds of kings at the same time. Everyone carved out their own kingdom.

Royalty titles are commonly bought and sold in europe. Lower royalty to be sure, but, it's fairly common to suddenly be a Duke of whatever. Not so much in England, but on The Continent.