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Loading ...Gay teen elected prom queen
05.29.2009 10:48am EDT
(Los Angeles, California) An openly gay teen was voted prom queen at Los Angeles’ Fairfax High School in a campaign that began as a stunt but ended up spurring discussion on the campus about gender roles and teen popularity. Sergio Garcia, 18, was crowned queen Saturday night at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
“I feel invincible,” Garcia said in his tiara and charcoal-gray tuxedo.A few days earlier, he gave a speech that won over some cynics and led to an ovation and his unlikely victory.
“At one time, prom may have been a big popularity contest where the best-looking guy or girl were crowned king and queen. Things have changed and it’s no longer just about who has the most friends or who wears the coolest clothes,” Garcia told a gymnasium full of seniors. “I’m not your typical prom queen candidate. There’s more to me than meets the eye.”
Garcia assured the crowd he wouldn’t wear a dress on prom night.
“I will be wearing a suit,” he said. “But don’t be fooled, deep down I am a queen.”
The school, which sits at the end of the rows of chic shops on Melrose Avenue and was once attended by members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, has long been a haven for students who would be considered outcasts at many schools.
Garcia said he saw fliers advertising the prom and the election, and they didn’t specify that the queen must be a girl. He thought the role would suit him better than prom king.
“I don’t wish to be a girl,” he told the Los Angeles Times. said. “I just wish to be myself.”
Senior class president Vanessa Lo said she and many other students were initially against the idea but were won over by Garcia’s speech and became convinced he wasn’t just an attention-seeking clown.
“It just goes to show how open-minded our class is,” Lo said.
Seventeen-year-old Unique Payne called the speech “great” and said she voted for Garcia “because I support the gay community.”
Other students weren’t as happy, and suggested many voted for Garcia just to see the spectacle of two boys dancing together at the prom.
“I’m not really happy about that,” said 17-year-old Juan Espinoza. “He should’ve run for prom king.”
hahahahahah! that is great! we tried doing the same thing at our highschool this year, but ofcourse the would not allow it to be a male for queen
Congratulations to Sergio Garcia.
In reply to this part of the article:
“Other students weren’t as happy, and suggested many voted for Garcia just to see the spectacle of two boys dancing together at the prom.”
I am sure that Sergio brought a date since he is open. So just to see two guys dancing together would have been done prior to the choosing of prom queen. So to say that people just voted for him just to see two guys dance together is ridiculous. But it is nice to see such open mindedness.
Awwwww!!! That is so wonderful! Good for him! I couldn’t be happier! Congradulations! You deserve it! I’m with you in spirit, my brother. May you have all the happiness that life could possibly possess!
at my high school, the prom king was openly gay. during the dance he took the tiara from the prom queen, and the crowd cheered.
his white/columbia blue tux and scarlet sash was more fabulous anyway.
This is just amazing! I am so excited for him! What a wonderful experience!
I believe Fairfax High School is where Virginia Uribe’s Project 10 was developed in the 1980s. It’s a great resource.
They wanted to see two guys dancing? Hmmmm…does that make them gay, too?
Puleeze.
Our high school’s prom excluded LGBT, although not on purpose. The door lady refused to allow any same sex couples past the door. After all was said and done all of us decided that it was not worth out time. Even though we did not get refunds our voices went unheard.
I am so happy for this student and this school. Congratulations on seeing past bigotry and the fallacy of gender roles.
I was an openly gay prom king lol. Didn’t wear the tiara though. =P
What an articulate, cool young man! And a cool high-school class, as well.
I think it’s incredible progress that gay queens no longer have to pretend to be women to declare a gender that’s outside the box (”I don’t want to be a girl…[I'm a queen]“). It’s not man or woman; it’s in between with aspects of both, and individuals can label that how they see fit. Wow! Very cool.
If I hear anyone getting cynical about today’s youth, I’ll point them to this article.
Oh no, we should still be cynical about today’s youth. After all this NEVER would have happened in MY highschool (and I only graduated a few years ago) but at least this is a step in the right direction. Once even a small town redneck filled school can have something like this happen, THEN I’ll be convinced. Until then I’m just glad I’m out of there.
This is awsome! You go Garcia!
CONGRATULATIONS TO SERGIO!!! This is a Huge step for the gay community…. Here in IL we are still waiting for our huge step..Honey you were that Tiara Proud.
Congrats… I guess.
I also think he should have went for Prom King but o-k…