L.A. High School Votes Gay Man Prom Queen

18-Year-Old Won Over Classmates With Speech On Inclusiveness

(AP)  An openly gay man 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 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."

[perm3800a]

Okay, I guess the phobics don't recognize a pun when they see one. Mr. Quentin Crisp once called himself 'the Queen of England' and was cast as Elizabeth 1 in "Orlando". It was a pun. He was a gay Englishman who liked to wear eye makeup and brightly colored scarves with his tailored men's suits. This young man is probably also a bit of a 'flamer' - a person with colorful taste in clothing and personal presentation - or a 'queen' (exaggerated feminity in movement while still presenting oneself as male.) Hence his qualification as 'prom queen' - he's a queen. Now he has the tiara to prove it.

High school silliness. Get over it.

[hoseobama]

Gives new meaning to Queen for a day.

[ToolMangler1]

Further proof that California schools do not educate. The poor kids can't tell the difference between a 'King" and "Queen". Mind you , I didn't condemn anybody, just a system.

[scyouth]

typical Los Angeles, typical southern california. no surprise.
Posted by longtree-2009

Jealousy will get you nowhere.

[scyouth]

we need to have immirgation check him out. If he is illegal kick him out, it will be one less aids breeder.
Posted by anti-global \

You're a pig ignorant louse.

[tomanyt]

Cool.

[DefendLiberty]

It's an example of typical generational divide. Old people never grew up knowing (openly) gay people. They never had the opportunity to become comfortable with people who were differenc. So they live in FEAR of the unknown. It's simply cowardice.

Young people today have learned that their gay classmates and friends are no more different that the opposite sex. They are generally more comfortable and not afraid.

It is FEAR that drives hatred and bigotry. It is the unknown. Thankfully, the older generation will pass and the newer generation will be more accepting of gays. The same has been happening with race relations. In 40 years people will look back on the bigotry of today with disgust and disbelief..

[ccfsdca]

NO PHOTO??!!!

[longtree-2009]

typical Los Angeles, typical southern california. no surprise.