# US school cancels prom to avoid lesbian student bringing a date **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 11, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108 "2010-03-11T15:28:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2010, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108/41 "2010-03-11T19:30:15Z")
And as long as we’ve got all these fires going, we might as well roast some marshmallows! ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108/42 "2010-03-11T19:35:16Z")
And smores! Do we really want idiot tainted food? I think I just answered my own question! Hell yes! ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108/43 "2010-03-11T19:58:00Z")
I’ll be very surprised if the suit is successful. I do not know of any legal requirement for a high school to hold a prom at all, therefore I do not expect the Judge to force them to hold one. Please note I do not agree with the decision to cancel the prom, nor would I support the school board’s position. From the first linked article: \*Itawamba County is a rural area of about 23,000 people in north Mississippi near the Alabama state line. It borders Pontotoc County, Mississippi, \* This is incorrect. Itawamba County does not border Pontotoc County. Itawamba County is bordered by Alabama on the east, Monroe County to the south, Lee County to the west, and Prentiss County to the North. Pontotoc County is west of Lee County. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108/44 "2010-03-11T19:58:24Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > Pussy. I say we nuke them all from orbit. No, let’s just get Jerry Lewis on a plane. [Cite for the age unchallenged.](http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1243&dat=19690326&id=_pMSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CfcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3893,2103188) I don’t think for a minute Jerry Lewis never bothered to read the jokes before he was on. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108/45 "2010-03-11T20:17:38Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > And as long as we’ve got all these fires going, we might as well roast some marshmallows! I’ll bring beer! For that matter - does anyone like brisket? I make a pretty good brisket. Now I’m hungry. ---
**Author:** ![Sinaptics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Sinaptics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaptics)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2010, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108/46 "2010-03-11T20:32:03Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > But can we burn the idiots at the stake? Pleeease? “Now who’s the flamer?!” ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2010, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108/47 "2010-03-11T20:43:30Z")
This is Mississippi. It’s not surprising that a mere 120 miles from Itawamba, the town of Charleston, MS (hometown of Morgan Freeman) had historically held separate proms for blacks and whites until 2008, when Mr. Freeman said he would pay for the school’s prom if they would hold an integrated one. They finally agreed, to the chagrin of many of the towns parents. There was a documentary made about the change. So if it took 40 something years after the passage of the civil rights acts for a Mississippi high school to have an integrated prom, it doesn’t suprise me that they are still having a problem with lesbians. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108/48 "2010-03-11T20:50:26Z")
As others have said, I think that the school board is less homophobic than taking the coward’s way out to not have to deal with all of the bullshit. It reminds of the discotheque that Disneyland had in the 70’s. They had a man/woman couple only rule too. It wasn’t to keep out gays. I don’t think homosexuals even occurred to them. They just didn’t want the place to become a pick-up joint. Then a same sex couple was denied entry and made a big stink so Disneyland just said, “fuck it” and closed the whole thing down. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108/49 "2010-03-11T20:51:00Z")
> [@Juliana](#): > > How about some steaks, too? If we’re going to have fun, we might as well have a picnic. A picnic? Burn the [racist](http://www.snopes.com/language/offense/picnic.asp)! ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2010, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108/50 "2010-03-11T20:54:31Z")
Ugh, fuck those intolerant bastards. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2010, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108/51 "2010-03-11T20:57:22Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > A picnic? Burn the [racist](http://www.snopes.com/language/offense/picnic.asp)! Try to be more niggardly with your charges of racism in the future. No, actually, I could not resist. ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108/52 "2010-03-11T21:11:39Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Wait, prom is like the practical for the sex-education class, isn’t it? I’m ashamed to say I only squeaked by with a passing grade. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2010, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108/53 "2010-03-11T21:31:01Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > The school was probably getting sick of being bombarded on all sides by parents, ACLU, students, townspeople, you name it. Being forced to be the moderator in a huge mess of people with varying opinions and threats I’d be tempted to do the same thing. “You know what, F all of you, nobody wants to play nice nobody gets to play at all. Prom canceled.” > I’ve done the same thing when my nieces wanted to play Candyland. “I want to be blue!”, “No, I want to be blue.” (crying) > “You know what? Nobody gets to be blue because I’m putting Candyland away and now nobody gets to play.” Yabbut, there are no lesbians in Candyland. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2010, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108/54 "2010-03-11T21:33:46Z")
From [here](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_lesbian_prom_date): > [@](#): > > Constance McMillen said she didn’t want to go back the day after the Itawamba County school board’s decision, but her father told her she needed to face her classmates, teachers and school officials. > > “My daddy told me that I needed to show them that I’m still proud of who I am,” McMillen told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "The fact that this will help people later on, that’s what’s helping me to go on. What a great dad! A shame that not all are like him. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2010, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108/55 "2010-03-11T21:35:22Z")
I can see something in the future being named after Constance McMillian. Maybe a softball team. /Yeah, I went there. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2010, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108/56 "2010-03-11T21:49:04Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > Yabbut, there are no lesbians in Candyland. Wait, what? I’ve been playing that game incorrectly then. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108/57 "2010-03-12T00:56:48Z")
It’s wrong that a girl that cute should be a sober lesbian. ---
**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108/58 "2010-03-12T01:45:47Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > (Heads spins) Are people still this backward? Plenty of same-sex couples went to my prom, and every other school dance, and nobody batted an eyelash. Then again, I went to high school in Los Angeles. But still, this is years later, and so you’d think… right? That even if there were some leftover cranky old men, grumbling under their breath about coloreds and queers, current generations would allow people to go to prom with whoever they wanted? I mean, this is a school dance we’re talking about here, not something gods-endorsed like marriage. This. Except for the Los Angeles part. I saw this story first on Yahoo, and the number of “wull, she stuck out her neck, so it’s HER FAULT they’re canceling prom, she RUINED EVERYTHING, GAWD” comments made me want to punch my monitor. Way to fucking miss the point, morons. Then again, this is the same website that spawned Yahoo Answers, which isn’t the WORST place on the internet, but it’s up there. ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108/59 "2010-03-12T02:06:51Z")
> [@Juliana](#): > > If you want a better article about it, check the local paper [here](http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20100311/NEWS/3110346/Itawamba+prom+nixed+after+controversy+). > > This whole thing just makes me sick. First Ceara Sturgis, who just wanted to wear a tuxedo for her senior picture: she was denied that, and the school ended up not even putting her picture in the yearbook. And now this. Damnitall, I love Mississippi, but there are parts of the state that have gotta come into the 21st century. > > I just pray this doesn’t make her a target for retaliation. I hear ya, Juliana. I lived in MSPI for 12 years, and know it’s a complex place. This poor gal needs all the support she can get in the glaring spotlight now. One wondering thing for me: according to Juliana’s above link, the law could uphold this discrimination because of MSPI’s anti-sodomy laws. Does being a homosexual female violate sodomy laws? Isn’t that about male-oriented penetration by definition? It’s all outdated, of course, but, if you’re following the Biblical interpretation as your absolute standard, it should be well-defined. Callin’ Sampiro here, as an expert of such thangs in the South. ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108/60 "2010-03-12T02:07:44Z")
I think the way to combat this is to insinuate that if the guys in Mississippi don’t want to see hot lesbians dancing together, then they must be gay. Any red-blooded American man should want to see some lesbians at the prom. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-school-cancels-prom-to-avoid-lesbian-student-bringing-a-date/532108.md?page=4)