Lesbian student in Mississippi fights to get photo of her in tuxedo in high school yearbook

Veronica Rodriguez, the mother of Ceara Sturgis, a 17-year-old lesbian, complains to reporters that her daughter deserves to have her senior portrait, included in the yearbook of the Wesson Attendance Center even though she is wearing a tux instead of the over-shoulder-drapes traditionally worn by females, Thursday, Oct.

[Duped since birth]

Is this school/town stuck in 1955? Good grief.

[Leftatalbuquerqu e]

Here are some questions from an outsider:

If America is the land of the free and home of the brave, does this gal not embody that same spirit?

In a nation that eschews supposedly-socialist ideas such as Universal Healthcare, does not a gal showing individualist ideals like not conforming to a Footloose-inspired garment faschism not embody an independent spirit?

In such a nation of liberty and equality for all, why is it necessary for the ACLU is exist at all?

A hewer of wood and drawer of water to the north of you would like to know.

[OmegaWolf747]

Her mother? Can't she speak for herself at this point in her life?

The whole American South is stuck in 1955.

[Rev Ray T]

My prayer for the day. Oh great and loving Goddess/God when will you rescue America from the ignorance of rednecks?

Not that God/Goddess gives a hoot what happens to any piddling little nation, but this prayer helps relieve my frustration. Until we correct this sad state of affairs

[McMike]

Leftatalbuquerque wrote:

Here are some questions from an outsider:
If America is the land of the free and home of the brave, does this gal not embody that same spirit?
In a nation that eschews supposedly-socialist ideas such as Universal Healthcare, does not a gal showing individualist ideals like not conforming to a Footloose-inspired garment faschism not embody an independent spirit?
In such a nation of liberty and equality for all, why is it necessary for the ACLU is exist at all?
A hewer of wood and drawer of water to the north of you would like to know.

Trust me, many of us know how America is the bigot of the civilized world...

[BEE33]

McMike wrote:

<quoted text>
Trust me, many of us know how America is the bigot of the civilized world...

Check out what the Australians think is funny and acceptable.

[BEE33]

OmegaWolf747 wrote:

Her mother? Can't she speak for herself at this point in her life?
The whole American South is stuck in 1955.

I say good for Mom. Why shouldn't a parent speak up for her school age child who is being discriminated against?

[Short Left Index Finger]

I say let everbody dress like girls,that way it looks better.

[Leftatalbuquerqu e]

Short Left Index Finger wrote:

I say let everbody dress like girls,that way it looks better.

Good point!! Why is it ok to dress like a boy (except for the young gal in question here) but not as a girl? If a girl can wear pants, why does the world fall apart when a boy wears a skirt? Are we all THAT afraid of a penis?

[BEE33]

Leftatalbuquerque wrote:

<quoted text>
Good point!! Why is it ok to dress like a boy (except for the young gal in question here) but not as a girl? If a girl can wear pants, why does the world fall apart when a boy wears a skirt? Are we all THAT afraid of a penis?

Not in Scotland!

[Fabioso]

OmegaWolf747 wrote:

Her mother? Can't she speak for herself at this point in her life?
The whole American South is stuck in 1955.

No, rednecks are stuck in 1955. And rednecks are not limited to the South.

There are plenty of Southerners who are not.

[manderz]

Wow, just let the girl have her pic. in the yearbook and get over it. The school is going to need to realize sooner or later that there are gays and lesbians out there and there is nothing that they are going to do to stop that. I hope the family keeps pushing and gets whatever legal help they need to win this battle.

[NLH in CA]

In fairness, schools should establish a dress code for all students to be formally attired in 'either a drape or a tux.' Period. Guys want a dress? Make sure it's formal. Girls want a tux? Okey dokey. If the students can live with their choices, why can't we?

[Short Left Index Finger]

I still say picktures of fairies are better than pirates.You get what I'm saying.

[ccrider]

If the school didn't have a policy against girls dressing up like boys for their picture, then I guess maybe they ought to let her have her picture taken, even though it would look weird.

Perhaps they need to have a dress code for pictures, boys wear boy clothes......girls, girls clothes.

By the way, some things about 1955 weren't all that bad compared to today. There was less divorce, less crime, less co-habitating between unmarried men and women, etc.(not to mention that gas was a whole lot cheaper).

[BEE33]

ccrider wrote:

If the school didn't have a policy against girls dressing up like boys for their picture, then I guess maybe they ought to let her have her picture taken, even though it would look weird.
Perhaps they need to have a dress code for pictures, boys wear boy clothes......girls, girls clothes.
By the way, some things about 1955 weren't all that bad compared to today. There was less divorce, less crime, less co-habitating between unmarried men and women, etc.(not to mention that gas was a whole lot cheaper).

There was more denial, less freedom, less options for women of any kind, but especially to escape abuse, and lot more things swept under the rug that made it appear there was less crime. Yeah, gas was cheaper, but nobody wore seat belts. You need to think things through a little more thoroughly.

[JohnInToronto]

It's Mississippi, always bringing up the rear in the US. Bottom in everything. Don't believe me, take a ride through that place and see all the people living in shacks.

[JohnInToronto]

Fabioso wrote:

<quoted text>
No, rednecks are stuck in 1955. And rednecks are not limited to the South.
There are plenty of Southerners who are not.

Unfortunately, however, the South has a disproportionate share of rednecks by percent and New England, the Upper Midwest, Northern California and the coastal portion of the Pacific Northwest have a disproportionate lack of rednecks.

[ccrider]

BEE33 wrote: "There was more denial, less freedom, less options for women of any kind, but especially to escape abuse, and lot more things swept under the rug that made it appear there was less crime. Yeah, gas was cheaper, but nobody wore seat belts. You need to think things through a little more thoroughly. "

I do agree with you on much of what you wrote. But in regard to less crime in '55, let's consider a few things:(1)there were less people then, less chance of crime (2) people could get away with not locking their doors (3) school shootings were unheard of (4) no bad influences of video games, music, music videos, etc.(5)more moms were at home to help raise the kids.....not somebody at a daycare like today.(6) prayer was still in many schools.

[Fabioso]

JohnInToronto wrote:

<quoted text>
Unfortunately, however, the South has a disproportionate share of rednecks by percent and New England, the Upper Midwest, Northern California and the coastal portion of the Pacific Northwest have a disproportionate lack of rednecks.

Which, even if true, is just another excuse to engage in precisley the kind of prejudice you accuse others of exhibiting.