Meet Constance McMillen. Her Mississippi high school (yep, good ole' Miss) cancelled her high school prom because she wanted to attend with her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo. Then a parent decided to sponsor a private dance where McMillen could attend IF she brought a male date and wore a dress.
Now, I think it's clear why they would discourage her from bringing a female date. This is your typical homophobia that is frighteningly common in our country. But what really shocks me about this story, and that I don't think has been sufficiently covered is the fact that they were forcing her to wear a dress.
I'm sorry, what year is this? The girl can't wear a tuxedo if she wants? She isn't breaking any formal dress codes, she would still be dressed up for the occasion-- just in pants. The kid isn't asking to wear jeans. Since when is it okay to bar a woman from wearing pants?
Say what you want about equal rights for lesbians and gays but is there really an argument that goes with forcing a woman to wear a dress? Who knew that a female wanting to wear a tuxedo is still so shocking to the American public. But I guess it makes sense. When's the last time a famous woman wore a suit down the runway? Diane Keaton?
Celine Dion?
It isn't that common. And there isn't anything wrong with wanting to be feminine, but why is there something wrong with wanting to downplay that femininity? If we're going to go that route I hope they were banning boys from wearing pink shirts and tuxedos.
That guy looks like the kid from A Christmas Story:
Pink nightmare alright.
But in my mind the pink nightmare is that colors are still associated with sexes and that even in 2010, the year I graduate from college, a woman can't wear pants to a formal function. Thanks Mississippi for sending us back a few years.
No comments:
Post a Comment