Girl sues school over prom tux denial

[Contrary1]

:thumbsup: A nice surprise to me that most of the comments posted from this former "red forever" state of Indiana are in support of the student.

"A 17-year-old Boone County girl has sued Lebanon Schools after her high school principal told her she could not wear a tuxedo to the school's April 25 prom but would have to wear a dress.

The Lebanon High School senior, whose name is not revealed in the lawsuit, is a lesbian and does not wear dresses because she sees them as expressing a sexual identity that she does not embrace, court filings said.

Her attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana has asked a federal court to issue an injunction that would require the school to let her wear the same formal attire to the prom as male students at the school.

In the filing, ACLU of Indiana legal director Ken Falk argued that the district's policy violates the stipulations in the U.S. Constitution that the government treat a female student the same as male students and not limit students' freedom to express beliefs."

http://www.indystar.com/article/20090311/NEWS04/903110415

[blogslut]

1. Good for her

If I were 30 years younger and actually gave a shit about my prom, I would totally wear a tux.

[LeftinOH]

2. Its a friggin' high school dance- not a Coronation; who the hell cares what people wear??

[readmoreoften]

3. Good for her. How the hell is a public school going to mandate gender performance at a prom?

My partner has faced so much damn discrimination even trying to get suits fitted for formal events. I applaud this young woman's courage.

[mykpart]

4. If the girl were not a lesbian,

the school would have thought it was "cute" to wear a tux! Didn't Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise once wear matching tuxedos to the Academy Awards?

[hedgehog]

5. What is wrong with people? Last year, my daughter (straight)

went to the Senior Dinner Dance with another girl (straight) because the other girl was a senior who didn't want to ask any of the boys she knew. They had a great time, especially the other girl who was a senior who would have otherwise skipped this event. There was some discussion of one of them wearing a tuxedo, but I think they both wore dresses.

Ironically, I think any school administration that tries to keep the Prom as a heterosexual heavy date event is inadvertently encouraging the tradition of sexual initiation on prom night.

[Ecumenist]

7. Hey Hedge, when I was a senior, I wanted to go with a female

friend because we didn't get asked by any of the guys we liked and do yu know that my school would not sell tickets to me or her? We weren't gay, it was just that we didn't want to miss out on a senior activity and didn't have anyone to go with. This was in 1982 and was in the San Joaquin Valley in a town named Atwater, California. I wasn't born there and once I left in 1982, I've only been back once.

[hedgehog]

9. Which goes to show that equal rights for all means more rights for all!

[ColbertWatcher]

6. Good for her. Good for the ACLU. Good for Indiana. k+r, n/t

[Quantess]

8. I'll never understand the uproar over what kids wear.

Mohawks, purple hair, or a girl in a tuxedo, who cares? These things are so superficial. Nowhere are stereotypes based on how one dresses are worse, than in High School.

[Lost in CT]

10. Good for her and shame on the school idiots. nt

[noamnety]

11. My daughter went to a formal high school dance

with a small group of girlfriends who all wore tuxes and drew small mustaches on their faces. It didn't occur to me that it would bother anyone. I overheard one of the parents though talking about how they were trying to ruin it for everyone.

I never understood what exactly was being ruined, or why. How small-minded would you have to be to not enjoy the music or dancing with your friends because some other girl didn't dress like barbie?

[Political Tiger]

12. Let her wear what she wants - it's HER prom after all!

And if someone is offended by seeing her in a tux, tough shit! They can just look the other way!

[ejpoeta]

18. actually, i'm not sure about that. at our prom, we had a controversy

over the guy we wanted to DJ it... a local radio station dj. The school wouldn't have it!! The funny thing was that most of the students would have not wanted the guy either, but we never got the chance. As soon as the principal said NO, then every student decided that we should have who we wanted. The school's position was that it was THEIR prom and we were just guests. So that is probably the attitude of the school in this case as well.

[Political Tiger]

20. Well, you're right - it's not as simplistic as I put it

I can understand a school having certain rules, such as girls not being allowed to wear a skimpy, low cut mini-dress or boys wearing t-shirts and jeans, but in this case I think they are going too overboard - I mean, it's not 1950 anymore.

As for it being the school's prom and the kids are the guests, I'm not so sure about how valid that is. I admit, it's been many, many years since I've seen the inside of a high school, but don't the kids raise money to help pay for the expenses?

[PA Democrat]

13. How ridiculous. The young woman should be allowed to

wear a tux if that's what she wants. What next, mandatory makeup and manicures for females as well? This looks like pure hateful homophobia. Or perhaps they think they can "cure" her by making her dress like a stereotypical female?

[Ilsa]

14. She could wear this with pants under it:

It's a dress. And she can wear pants with it and make her principal see what an idiot he is.

Or this:

[One_Life_To_Give]

15. Usually it's boys in Kilts and Gowns that get tossed under the bus

In the end as long as a boy or girl can wear either. But I suspect it will take an addition al suit for boys to enjoy the same rights.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

16. Good lord, one of my classmates...

went to our senior prom in a baby blue tux with baby blue Converse high tops -- in 1978 at a Catholic high school. :eyes:

Get a friggin' grip, hoosiers....

[ejpoeta]

17. you know, I never thought about that!! what the hell is wrong with the girl

wearing a tux instead of a dress! i'm glad she fought back and didn't take that bs.

[Jokerman]

19. My sister wore a tux to my wedding.

She looked great!