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CBS/ April 21, 2010, 3:50 PM

Lesbian Teen: School Sent me to Fake Prom

A lesbian student in Mississippi who sued her school for the right to bring her girlfriend to the prom said she was sent to a fake prom instead.

Constance McMillen, 18, told The Advocate that last month's invitation to an alternate prom was a sham, saying that most students attended another dance organized by parents at a secret location.

"They had two proms and I was only invited to one of them," McMillen told the magazine. "The one that I went to had seven people there, and everyone went to the other one I wasn't invited to."

"It hurts my feelings," she said.

Itawamba Agricultural High School cancelled its prom over the controversy sparked by McMillen's attempt to overturn the school's policy banning same-sex prom dates.

Las month, a federal judge ruled that the school district violated McMillen's constitutional rights, though did not reinstate the prom.

According to McMillen, the prom she attended was at a country club. She said of the five other students at the country club, two had learning disabilities.

"They had the time of their lives," McMillen said. "That's the one good thing that come out of this, [these kids] didn't have to worry about people making fun of them [at their prom]."

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Copyright 2010 CBS. All rights reserved.
194 Comments Add a Comment
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shadys-mom says:
Oh BOO HOO! Can't imagine why all the kids in school wouldn't want to have her at their party - she only ruined the prom for them and I think it was only to cause trouble - otherwise the rights group wouldn't have been asked to get into the middle of it and the media would have never known about it. I think she is just lucky that some of her classmates didn't retaliate in some way against her and I can't imagine anyone in the school having anything to do with her anymore. She had her 15 minutes of fame and look what it has cost everyone in her school. If she had any sense at all, she would shut up, graduate and get on with whatever she wants to do with her life.
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101flyboy replies:
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You must be kidding. First of all, she did not ruin the party. The school decided that they would rather not have a party than not discriminate. Secondly, you assuming negative about this young lady only shows your bias. She did everything correctly, asked politely about being able to bring her date, and was rejected BECAUSE of her sexuality. So, she decided to find a legal recourse and THEN the media picked up on the story. She didn't go to the media. She's lucky they didn't retaliate? You're right, because they do seem like hateful savages. If you had any sense at all, you would see what the problem is here: the fact they wouldn't allow this young lady the same opportunity to bring her date as the heterosexual kids did. But in your eyes, you think she should have shut up, and accepted the discrimination? Well, she has integrity and pride, something you seem to lack. Oh boo hoo is right, boo hoo to the bratty kids who went out of their way to discriminate over something as trivial as a girl bringing her GF to the prom. And boo hoo to YOU and people of your ilk for whining that she is to blame. She isn't. You are. You and your way of thinking.
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Exordiom says:
Just show how uncivilized religion is....look all these people talking about living the way of god. Living the way of god is putting the man before the wife, stoning your children, destroying shellfish. You can't pick and choose what you believe is acceptable. Its just ridiculous how your putting the blame on this girl, saying she ruined all the other kids prom.
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coconnel51 says:
Apparently there are only 7 decent people at that high school. I wonder what colleges far, far away Candace and those 7 other kids will be attending.

@jankebenzone - "Choosing" to be gay? My goodness the ignorance of that statement. Apparently there is a lot more you need to do to educate yourself to the realities of gender and sexuality before you can even expect to be taken seriously on this issue.
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love2ridend says:
She got to go to a prom. Why is she whinning?
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campbe33 says:
I don't get why she's saying she was sent to a fake prom. The prom she went to wasn't fake, it just wasn't the one her classmates chose to attend. She seems to be under the impression her classmates are obligated to celebrate their prom with her. They probably would have if her case hadn't been turned into such a high profile media circus. I understand she has rights, but they have rights too and if they chose to throw a "private" prom to which she wasn't invited that was their right. Neithers rights should be trampled according polictical correctness, but in reality to appease one side someone's rights are going to be violated. In society not everyone cannot pleased and some laws will indeed trample the rights of some people, as the "majority rules." You cannot force people to accept you regardless of who or what you are, even if you take them to court. I don't hate homosexuals and have homosexual friends, but I don't want to see any part of such a relationship displayed before me in any form. It's like when my son does something I don't approve of, he better not do it in front of me, but that doesn't mean I don't like or love anyway.
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Alyssa1982 replies:
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And what about the special needs kids? I guess the class isn't obligated to celebrate with them either.
Cut the BS - the kids wanted to exclude whoever they deemed unsavory.


I don't understand how you could have homosexual friends when you make statements like "but I don't want to see any part of such a relationship displayed before me in any form". I guess you don;t have them over to dinner with you with their partners - or mention that you disapprove of them holding hands with their partners either.
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love2ridend says:
You feelings were hurt? How about all the peoples prom YOU tried to ruin. I feel sorry for the other 7 people that had to deal with you.
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icehole78 says:
The thing about all this is that the girl is only using the media to push her Gay Rights agenda as are all the other Logos. I dont wake up in the morning after consumating my 30 year marriage and go outside and shout " I had sex last night with my wife and it should be recognized" I understand that the current laws support my natural and God planned lifestyle, but I am not trying to push it on the Homosexual either. I also could care less what the homosexual thinks of my straight sexual orientation. In fact I dont care what a person attaches physically and sexually to be it man-man, woman-woman, animal-alien-vegetable-mineral-metal...... as long as they keep it to themselves. Enough of this "I am gay and I have rights!" garbage. Just know that if you are homosexual it is a tough row to hoe. I do not support it anymore than I support any other crap I could care less about. I also do not condemn it. Do what the hell you want.....behind closed doors!
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black_howler says:
This was taken from another poster that shows why we need to legalize gay marriage. If you don't feel for this person after reading it, you simply aren't human.

"I am not sure what our President thinks of this dicission but coming from a poor family and knowing what discrimination is all about I would assume he would not care if "Gays" have equal rights. The whole reason why they are asking for rights to be considered married is from the same reason why I would be for it. My own life partner commited suicide in our home with a gun to his heart. After a 28 year union I was deprived to even go his funeral. We had two plots next to each other. But because we did not have a marriage cirtificate "(Legal Document)" of our union his mother had him cremated and his ashes taken back to Missouri where we came from. That is only one example how painful it is. His suicide tramatized me so much and her disregard for my feelings only added to my heartach. That happened on March 21 of 2007 and I still cannot type this without crying for the trauma I have to endure each day. Oh did I mention I am in an electric wheelchair for life? Yes I am and it is very diffacult to find another mate when you are 58 and in a wheelchair. "
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black_howler says:
The National Library of Medicine pubs confirm that sexual orientation is natural, biologically induced in the first trimester of pregnancy, morally neutral, immutable, neither contagious nor learned, bearing no relation to an individuals ability to form deep and lasting relationships, to parent children, to work or to contribute to society.

From the American Psychological Association: homosexuality is normal; homosexual relationships are normal.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Asociation and American Psychiatric Asociation have endorsed civil marriage for same-sex couples because marriage strengthens mental and physical health and longevity of couples, and provides greater legal and financial security for children, parents and seniors.

America's premier child/mental health associations endorse marriage equality.
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icehole78 replies:
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And because of this I guess if everyone used dog **** for toothpaste or jumjped off a cliff then you would too? I am not against gays. Just against the publicity of it all.
Alyssa1982 replies:
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no, but I recommend you use it for toothpaste; it would clean out your dirty mouth. Unfortunately, it would only increase the amount of **** that is currently coming out of your mouth
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black_howler says:
For those of you claiming homosexuality is a "lifestyle", that is a false and ignorant statement. Homosexuality is not a choice. Just like you don't choose the color of your skin, you cannot choose whom you are sexually attracted to. If you can, sorry, but you are not heterosexual, you are bi-sexual. Virtually all major psychological and medical experts agree that sexual orientation is NOT a choice. Most gay people will tell you its not a choice. Common sense will tell you its not a choice. While science is relatively new to studying homosexuality, studies tend to indicate that its biological.

http://www-news.uchicago.edu/releases/03/differential-brain-activation.pdf
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/sex/dn14146-gay-brains-structured-like-those-of-the-opposite-sex.html
Gay, Straight Men's Brain Responses Differ
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,155990,00.html
http://www.livescience.com/health/060224_gay_genes.html
http://www.springerlink.com/content/w27453600k586276/
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/06/16/172/

There is overwhelming scientific evidence that homosexuality is not a choice. Sexual orientation is generally a biological trait that is determined pre-natally, although there is no one certain thing that explains all of the cases. "Nurture" may have some effect, but for the most part it is biological.


And it should also be noted that:
"It is worth noting that many medical and scientific organizations do believe it is impossible to change a person's sexual orientation and this is displayed in a statement by American Academy of Pediatrics, American Counseling Association, American Association of School Administrators, American Federation of Teachers, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, American School Health Association, Interfaith Alliance Foundation, National Association of School Psychologists, National Association of Social Workers, and National Education Association."
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