A Trans Homecoming Queen Reigns In Forsyth County, GA

Forsyth County, GA has a long, ugly history for the peeps in the ATL metro area of being a hotbed of racism and homophobia deep in the heart of Georgia Klan country.

It was a huge and delightful surprise when I learned that the latest trans homecoming queen lives there.

17 year old Charlie Baum is a senior at Forsyth Central High School who has known she was a girl like us since childhood.  She has endured bullying and even death threats for much of her scholastic career.

She started wearing makeup and doing drag in high school, and that only intensified the transphobic and homophobic hatred and public bullying being aimed at her.

Nevertheless she persisted, and started an Instagram page last June with thousands of followers that  serves as an outlet for her pro TBLGQ stances and thoughts.

She didn't come out as trans until December, and was just simply looking forward to graduating and leaving Forsyth County for a more welcoming environment and to be girl like us herself.

That was until two of her classmates, Midori and Nicole, nominated her for homecoming queen.

At first her family feared that this was only a cruel joke being played on her, but once Baum was determined to be eligible for the honor, she went for it after realizing the potential historic nature of her winning the homecoming queen honor as a trans girl.

She discovered when she won, she had far more support at Forsyth Central High than she thought she had, and hopes her historic win helps normalize the lives of trans people.   She also hopes it helps trans kids to not be afraid to dream big.

"I want trans individual stories to be heard, and visibility is everything.  I want to inspire other trans youth to know you can do it," said Baum.

"Break boundaries!  Make History!  Rock that sash!"|

Congratulations Charlie for making that history, in Forsyth County of all places.

 

NC Trans Feminine Student Denied Run For Homecoming Queen

When this 2018-19 school year kicked off, I was aware of the fact we have as of yet never had a Black trans feminine high school homecoming queen in the US.   We've had it happen several years ago on the Black trans masculine side.   

I was wondering where and when in the US this would happen, and believed that this would be the year that we'd ginally have a Black trans feminine teen attempt to do so

Interestingly enough, it's in the same state where the first Black trans homecoming king, the late Blake Brockington was crowned, North Carolina. 

Yep, the same state that tried to enshrine trans discrimination into the law.

That person stepping up to attempt to make that history attends Jack Britt High School in Fayetteville, NC.    But she was initially denied the opportunity to run by her principal.

Meet Jack Britt High School senior Marquis Monroe.   The 17 year senior wanted to run for homecoming queen, and informed her principal of her desire to do so, only to be told no. 

She took to Twitter and Instagram to express her displeasure with the decision, stating, "I worked so hard to be comfortable with myself."  that post wen viral, getting support from her fellow students and shared.

When the local TV station came calling to find out why the principal opposed Monroe's request to run, Cumberland County Schools sent out this statement: 

"The principal initially said no, but upon further consideration, he is prepared to support the student's request to participate, subject to parental approval, which is required for all participants."

Umm hmm.  Amazing how a viral post and a TV stations handling their news business will change a trans oppression situation into a trans empowerment one.. 

Now that the JBHS principal has seen the light, Monroe is now planning to run.  The homecoming queen will be crowned next weekend.

Here's hoping history will be made and after all this unnecessary drama, she makes that history.

Our First Trans Homecoming Queen Of The 2016-17 School Year Is...

Selena Milian!

I was wondering in the face of all the conservahate being ramped up against the transgender community right now if there would be any trans masculine or trans feminine homecoming kings or queens crowned during this 2016-17 school year.

Well, I'm happy to announce that we have our first that I'm aware of trans feminine homecoming queen that has been crowned in this 2016-17 school year and surprise, surprise it was in North Carolina. .

Yes, the same North Carolina where Hate Bill 2 is still on the books despite the over $400 million (and counting)  in economic damage it has done.

The same North Carolina in which the first trans masculine homecoming king in Blake Brockington committed suicide a year after making that history.

The 18 year old senior came out as trans during her freshman year, and despite all the drama and hardships Milian has faced, was crowned homecoming queen on October 24 after being elected by her classmates at Overhills High School in Spring Lake, NC on October 21.

She is the first out trans feminine homecoming queen in North Carolina.

Besides plans to eventually go on hormones, and go to cosmetology school, what she'd really like to do is become an advocate. "Being crowned homecoming queen was just the first step.  I want to help my community and continue to make a difference."

Congratulations Selena and hope the rest of your senior year is as fabulous and memorable as the start of it.

Will We See Any Trans Homecoming Queens and Kings This School Year?

Since it's now October, it's about that time that high schools across the country in this 2016-17 school year have their homecoming games. The highlight of that week and at that halftime game is the announcement of the persons selected by a student body vote as homecoming queen or king .  .

Was happy to see the historic win last school year of Landon Patterson in Missouri as her school's and the state of Missouri's first ever trans feminine homecoming queen.

Hope Landon is thriving in her post high school life, and if you don't think that her winning homecoming queen was a BFD, keep reading.



It was obviously a BFD enough for the reprehensible Phelps Phamily to show up and picket at Landon's school   

I'm thinking about it in the context of the post DOE/DOJ Dear Colleague letter that states that discrimination against trans students is prohibited under Title IX and eleven Republican controlled states immediately suing to keep having the ability to do precisely that.

While we in Trans World keep getting legal wins that are emphatically stating that discrimination against trans students violates Title IX, we're still going to have some transphobic bigots and fools that will try it.

That's why it will be even more important to see a trans masculine and trans feminine student walking away with their schools homecoming king or queen crown this year and I'm wondering where will this particular trans history will be made next?

It's not only a milestone for that particular student that gets selected by their classmates for that honor, it also signals trans human rights progress to the wider world.

It also signals to the transgender student that their fellow students recognize and respect them for who they are.

Will Chase Culpepper Make History Again?

South Carolina trans teen Chase Culpepper was recently in the news when she finally got the opportunity to take her feminine driver's license photo that was denied her in March 2014 by a transphobic SCDMV employee.

Now comes word that the 17 year old is one of the five finalists for homecoming queen at T L Hanna High School in Anderson S.C.   She was selected as one of the five finalists in a school wide vote of the student body, and at this Friday's 2:30 PM EDT pep rally will be introduced along with the rest of the homecoming court.

The winner will be revealed during halftime of TL Hanna's game with Easley HS on Friday.

Congratulations on being voted onto your school's homecoming court, and hope you are named the queen.

Congratulations Landon!

I and your trans elders are proud of you members of the Trans Class of 2016, and know that over time, you will do amazing things that will continue to justify our faith in investing in your success.   
-TransGriot, August 22, 2015

Well, it didn't take long for a member of the Trans Class of 2016 to make some trans history.

Meet Landon Patterson.  The Oak Park High School senior found out during halftime of her school's September 12 homecoming game with William Chrisman High School that her classmates had chosen her as their school's homecoming queen.

"Just knowing that I did this and broke some barriers, I can't put it into words how I feel right now," Patterson Said in am interview. "I'm just excited and hope it's going to help others put there." .

Landon has dreamed about this moment of riding in the homecoming parade as the homecoming queen since her freshman year, but she doubted that her classmates would see her as female.

She transitioned during her junior year, was an active member of her school's show choir and Oak Park's cheerleading squad, and her classmates made it clear how they viewed Landon by voting her as their homecoming queen.

Her mom Debbie Hall;proudly rode next to her in the homecoming parade as she stated to local media she saw no other option but to support her child.

That's my child. You have to back your children. The haters out there, I just want to say, 'What would you say if it was your child?'" Hall said.

Congrats Landon!    Hope the rest of your senior year goes as wonderfully as your day being named your school's homecoming queen did. 

Scarlett Lehn Crowned Homecoming Queen In Colorado

Scarlet Lehn has only been officially out as a transfeminine student at Sand Creek High School in Colorado Springs, CO since the start of this school year, but the 16 year old mas made a little history in the wake of doing so.

Lehn was chosen by her classmates to be their homecoming queen on September 12, the same weekend as transmasculine student Mel Gonzalez was chosen as the homecoming king at Austin High in Fort Bend County. 

It's also delicious to me that Sand Creek High School is located in the backyard of the odiously transphobic and homophobic Focus on The Family.  FOTF is headquartered there. 

While she's gotten some predictable flak from right wingers and the usual haters, the homecoming win was a surprise to her.  “I didn’t think I’d be nominated, but now it really matters to me,” Lehn said in a recent interview. “This is something I’ve wanted to do since my freshman year. I want people to be themselves and not feel uncomfortable in their own body and mind.”

And it's wonderful that your coming out was accepted by your classmates so quickly that they voted for you to be honored as their homecoming queen.

Congratulations Scarlett!   Looking forward to this happening in my home state soon.

All Hail Queen Cassidy!

Trans history was made last night in Huntington Beach, CA as Cassidy Lynn Campbell was elected by the student body of Marina High School as their homecoming queen.

Earlier in the school day Cassidy was announced as one of the five finalists for the title to the cheers of her fellow students with the final announcement made at last night's homecoming football game. 

"I'm so proud to win this not just for me but for everyone out there and for every kid -- transgender, gay, straight, black or Mexican. It doesn't matter, you can be yourself," she said after her win.

She becomes the first out trans feminine student ever in the United States to hold that distinction and I couldn't be happier for her.   But if it weren't for a transphobic principal at North Dallas High School that historic distinction could have happened in Texas three years ago.  



All hail Queen Cassidy and congratulations!

California Transteen A Homecoming Queen Candidate

While ground has been broken in terms of an open trans masculine teen being elected homecoming king of his school (Niko Walker in 2010), that hasn't happened yet for an open trans feminine student.  A 19 year old trans student named Devon became homecoming queen at her high school while stealth and revealed it on Katie Couric's talk show back in February.  

I chronicled the attempt of Andy Moreno to break the trans homecoming queen glass ceiling a few years ago at North Dallas High School that was thwarted by her transphobic principal.

Now word is coming from the Left Coast that 16 year old senior Cassidy Lynn Campbell has been named one of the ten homecoming queen candidates at Marina High School in Huntington Beach, CA. 

"I'm a girl and if my school could recognize me as what I've always wanted the world to recognize me as my entire life, then it would be such an accomplishment," Campbell says. "It's okay to be transgender and it doesn't matter what kind of girl you are -- you can still be a queen."

Cassidy has been transitioning for three years and is also a popular YouTube video blogger. Her nomination comes at a time in California in which Gov Jerry Brown (D) signed AB 1266, a law that that many trans youth in the state advocated for.  It allows K-12 trans students in public schools like Cassidy to participate in sex segregated school activities apropos to their gender presentation.   The conservafools are gearing up to fight this law by collecting signatures for a ballot initiative to repeal it.  

We'll have to see later today if Cassidy makes trans history.  At Marina High's homecoming pep rally, the field of ten homecoming queen candidates will be trimmed down to the five finalists with the queen being crowned at the school's football game tonight.

Good luck, Cassidy and hope you walk away with the crown tonight.