Green Day Sponsoring Alternative Prom For Gay Teen

Green Day Sponsoring Alternative Prom For Gay TeenIn Mississippi of all PlacesPunk rock icons Green Day are helping to sponsor a gay-friendly in Tupelo, Mississippi on May 8. The event is being held in response to an incident where an 18-year-old student and her girlfriend were forbidden from attending the "main dance" that all the straight kids went to and were being forced to attend a much smaller-scale prom, whatever that means. What will education administrators think of next? While I can appreciate the sentiment, it's definitely polarizing and a form of segregation and discrimination to forbid students from attending the main prom!

A US district court judge ruled that the "main" prom could not happen with the exclusion of the student and her same-sex date. Despite the ruling, an alternative prom is being held. Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong has been talking about the event, while other gay celebrities like 'N Sync's Lance Bass, Iron Chef Cat Cora and others will be included in and support the event.

Would you attend the alternative prom even if you were straight just because it's different and more open-minded?

—Amy Sciarretto
04.28.10