So, when you hear the words “Homecoming Queen,” what do you think of? The most popular girl at school? The girl bully who forced everyone to vote for her? But generally, female, right? Well, there are always exceptions. Recently, my friend back in high school won the title of Homecoming Queen but here’s the catch — my friend’s a guy, in other words, not what you would usually expect. He wanted to raise awareness about transgender individuals (the T in GLBT communities) and how they should be allowed to openly express themselves regardless of how their “gender identity” deviates from the stereotypical norms. Transgender is a term applied to individuals who feel detached from their own gender and do not wish to continue to be identified with it, however this does not mean that they will undergo surgery — they can simply express themselves differently. The main problem is the lack of acceptance toward transgenders in the current society which causes those who are to be discriminated against and consequently feel like they’re doing something wrong when they’re not. They should not have to feel ashamed.
- Vivian