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Gay Teen Girl Can’t Wear Tux in School Yearbook Photo
Remember Jonathan Escobar, the teen boy who was asked to dress more manly or be homeschooled? A few commenters wondered what would happen if roles were reversed: If Jonathan was a girl trying to dress like a boy, would school officials still have a problem with it?
In Wesson, Mississippi, the answer to that question is yes.
Ceara Sturgis is a senior at Wesson Attendance Center, and, like many students her age, got senior pictures taken for the yearbook. “I tried on the drape and it looked ridiculous. It was terrible,” Sturgis told WLOX, referring to to V-drape that many girls wear in their senior portraits. So Ceara decided to put on formal attire that did make her feel comfortable: a tuxedo.
School authorities refused to put her portrait into the school yearbook, however, and they also would not comment on their reasons why. But when pushed, a Copiah County School Board spokesperson suggested that WLOX “dig a little deeper” into the issue. They did, and they discovered Sturgis is gay.
Ah, okay. So that explains everythin….oh wait, no it doesn’t.
So she’s gay and she feels more comfortable in a tux. There seems to be little there to keep her from sharing yearbook space with her classmates. And if it’s the cross-dressing part that throws school authorities, they’re going to have a tough time explaining their “backwards beauty and beau” pageant, an event where everyone cross-dresses for fun.
Maybe WLOX didn’t dig deep enough, and there’s a reason here why Sturgis shouldn’t be allowed to have her picture in her senior yearbook that the school board can’t or won’t share — though it needs to be mentioned there’s no official policy or dress code that applies to the yearbook. Or maybe this is just another case of a teen punished for not being exactly like everyone else.
In Ceara’s own words, “What’s so wrong about it? Why is it wrong? Tell me.”
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Photo: wlox.com
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11 Comments
Amanda B. commented on Oct 16 09 at 12:27 pmNobody is “comfortable” in those stupid drape things that girls have to wear for formal pictures. I know – I had to wear them for sorority pictures. I have no problem with this girl dressing how she wants at school or anything, but if all the girls in the high school are supposed to wear the same thing for yearbook pictures, what’s the big deal? This seems like a dumb thing to take a stand on.
Lucky commented on Oct 16 09 at 1:47 pmI can’t believe they’re still dressing everyone the same for yearbook pictures. As long as she wore what the men were wearing I don’t see a problem but really. Let the kids pick their clothes.
Bec commented on Oct 16 09 at 2:13 pmMany or All? There’s a difference. The article states that many girls opt to wear the drape, and also that “there’s no official policy or dress code that applies to the yearbook”. AmandaB, your points are wrong here.
Honestly, the very fact that the school refuses to comment is startling and implies that they know they have no grounds. I wish their lawyers luck.
mommiedear commented on Oct 16 09 at 3:59 pmI think is the kid is not shy about cross dressing and his family has no problems with him wearing a dress why should anyone else? With that said if he is viewed as a freak and taunted by other kids then that is somthing the kid and his family will have to accpet as part of his choice. It is far harder to change the whole world in one intsant than it is for him to NOT cross dress. On http://www.truuconfessions.com moms will have different sentiments about this!
Jill commented on Oct 19 09 at 10:27 pmWow. A.) Being gay is not a “choice” as “mommiedear” commented (did you even READ the article?) and B.) Amanda B – it is NOT a dumb thing for her to take a stand on – because if you pick and choose where you’re going to let people walk all over you, or where you’re going to take a stand, where do you draw the line? When I was in college, I lost my JOB because I was gay. As someone who put herself through school, that was a huge deal. Where do you draw the line? Non-”normative” gender expression does not hurt anyone except the ignorant. Wake up.
Naoma Foreman commented on Oct 20 09 at 10:59 amComments DearCeara, I work as a volunteer usher for a large theater in Phoenix, Arizona. My dress code is a “tuxedo” look. Bow tie, wing collar white shirt (cuff links), black pants, jacket and shoes. As far as I am concerned I feel totally “well dressed” in this outfit and I
think a TUXEDO is the most glamorous clothing ANYONE can wear — man or
woman. Yes, I am a woman. GO FOR IT.
michael commented on Oct 21 09 at 3:58 pmComments wouldn’t the teachers and staff be from the same era in which women fought for equal rights and burnt their bras? wow look how far women have come.now they won’t even stand up for what seems like equal rights to me.besides don’t freedom of expression come into play in such a situation?or does freedom even exist in this country anymore?makes you wonder what we were fighting for years ago
angel merkel commented on Oct 23 09 at 5:50 pmi am just starring out how to be gay. go any answer’s,for me?
justin commented on Apr 05 11 at 7:47 pmIf all the other girls cannot wear a tux in a yearbook photo then why does the gay girl think she should be the exception to the rule?
sarah commented on Nov 19 11 at 4:02 pm@ Justin, it didn’t say that any of the other girls wanted or even tried to wear a tux. It also didn’t say that none of the girls “could not” wear a tux. No one knows if any of them did, who knows, maybe more than just this girl did. It just happens that this girl is gay.
I think she should have been allowed to wear the tux, it’s not like she wanted to wear a clown outfit, it’s still formal
jessica commented on Jan 18 12 at 2:01 pmThey only have a problem because she is gay. Let her wear the stinkin tux for crying out loud! Its a high school year book..no one will even care in a year.
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