Mississippi’s Message to the World: We Will Erase Young People Who Do Not Conform to Gender Norms
A few months ago, Constance McMillen, a young woman from Mississippi, made international headlines after her school forbade her from attending her prom because she wanted to wear a tuxedo and go with her girlfriend. Rather than letting this young woman attend her prom–something that she was entitled to do as a graduating student of her class–the school issued a statement saying that they were canceling prom for all students; they then ended up sending Constance to a “decoy” prom while most of her other classmates attended the real prom 30 miles away.
In Constance’s case, Itawamba Agricultural High School ultimately paid Constance $35,000, as well as her attorney’s fees and a court entered a judgment against the school. They school also agreed to create a Student Non-Discrimination Act to protect students from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
While most, if not all of us have heard all about the discrimination and just plain hurtful things inflicted upon Constance McMillen by people in authority, apparently news of retribution doesn’t travel very fast in Mississippi since another Mississippi school is openly discriminating against a GLBTQ student. This time, the case is about a Mississippi school feeling that it is well within their rights to erase a student from her yearbook because she does not fit into a traditional and accepted gender stereotype.
Wesson Attendance Center excluded Ceara Sturgis from her senior class yearbook because she wore a tuxedo instead of a drape for her senior portrait.
In the high school yearbook portraits for some schools, all of the boys wear tuxedos and all of the girls wear a drape–a piece of fabric that is draped (ah, I get the name now!) across the chest and is made to look like a dress or nice blouse. Ceara, who is said to have always dressed in clothes that are “traditionally associated with boys,” a remark I could not help but made a very ugly facial expression towards when reading, attempted to pose for her portrait wearing the drape, but felt extremely uncomfortable doing so. She asked her mother to request that she wear a tuxedo instead, which the photographer agreed to. While the photographer didn’t have a problem with Ceara wearing a tuxedo instead of a drape in her portrait, the principal of her school sure did and he told Ceara that he would not allow the photo to be published in the yearbook. Ceara’s mother as well as the ACLU attempted to resolve the issue with Ceara’s senior portrait not appearing in the yearbook quietly, but despite their best efforts, when Ceara received her yearbook, not only was her senior portrait missing, her name was also excluded.
The ACLU has filed a complaint against Copiah County School District in Ceara Sturgis’ name, saying that Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on sex and sex stereotypes, and the Constitution’s 14th Amendment for the guarantee of equal protection, prohibit school officials from forcing students to conform to gender stereotypes.
For a school to downright exclude a member of their student body from something that is indeed a rite of passage for graduating students is appalling, especially when the reasoning behind it is based on nothing but ignorance and bigotry. But close-mindedness can only be used as a reason for discrimination for so long. We teach children when they are toddlers that it is okay to be themselves and that they are going to meet other kids who may be different than they are–and that’s okay. It isn’t such a radical idea to accept someone as they are and to extend to them the same rights that are given to others. Someone please, give the Wesson Attendance Center administration a copy of Free to Be…You and Me. We have some major schooling to do.
Help raise awareness and support for Ceara Sturgis and for equality regardless of gender identity and expression by joining the Facebook support page and contact your legislators and urge them to sign the Student Non-Discrimination Act so GLBTQ students do not have to live in fear of simply being themselves, knowing that at any time they can be openly discriminated against by the very same people they are told they should respect.
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What bullshit.
Mississippi is a hellhole, don't forget about this one… http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2010/…
Wow. I hadn't heard about Juin Baize until now, which is a shame. I guess if the ACLU doesn't take on a case, the story has a harder time reaching the people it should be reaching, but thank you for the link and for letting me know about this.
Speaking of the ACLU, I think that it's bullshit that they didn't take Itawamba Agricultural to court because of what they did to Juin Baize. The fact that a person had to relocate because of harassment and discrimination is a damn good case for court in my opinion, but then again, I'm not a lawyer so maybe not? Hmm… Nope, I still think it would be a damn good case.
BS…so much discrimation…
People who cannot see the consequences of their action should not be responsible for changing their own diapers, let alone running a school…
As someone originally from Mississippi with most of my family continuing to reside there, visiting once or twice a year these days, I am keenly aware of how it goes down there with race and gender relations. Actually, I’m a little surprised that people are noticing the discrimination against gay people when my home county continues to have racially-segregated proms. That’s how they do it down there. Thankfully my boyfriend and I decided to drive to Louisiana and get drunk rather than attend prom.That’s how things go in Mississippi. No, I don’t particularly like people talking trash about the state and all the people in it, knowing that’s unfair, personally knowing a few gay people who choose to live there (and even a lesbian deciding to move BACK after spending years in the Midwest, if you can imagine that). It’s really tough to understand Mississippi unless you’ve lived there a number of years, preferably were raised there. And even then it doesn’t make a tremendous amount of sense.Still, I can’t help but defend my state a little. It’s a challenge to comprehend, and I completely agree that the racial and LGBT discrimination really needs to end … it’s just that it’s Mississippi. Good luck with making that happen. In fact, instead of badgering the state which obviously does no good, I recommend that people move there. Then you’ll be a voter and can assert your voice among the public. Yes, the weather is a bitch, but how else can you really make a stand while learning honestly about the culture you’re dealing with, up-close and personal? Don’t forget that some Mississippians do still persecute non-Protestants. It’s not just a gay or race-related thing.
i wanna visit Mississippi