A Mississippi lesbian Tuesday won a judge's ruling that her First Amendment rights were violated when her high school refused to allow her to attend her prom with her girlfriend.
US District Judge Glenn Davidson also ruled that 18-year-old Constance McMillen's request to wear a tuxedo to her prom was a violation of her rights.
Constance has been openly gay since the 8th grade.
"It vindicates Constance's rights," said Christine Sun, senior counsel with the ACLU's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender project.
CNN
Constance has offers from others to pay for the prom but wants only to attend her own prom. She is pleased with the decision but parents are holding a "private dance" and she is not invited.
At the center of the lawsuit is a February 5 memorandum from the school to students that said prom dates must be of the opposite sex.
Superintendent Teresa McNeece also told McMillen that she and her girlfriend could be ejected from the prom if other students complained about their presence, according to the documents.
Davidson denied a motion for an injunction filed by McMillen against the school district's superintendent, the school's principal and its assistant principal asking the court to order that the April 2 prom be reinstated, saying that parents were planning a private event to be held on that date for all students, including McMillen.
CNN
Her lawyer said she had not been told, by the school, about the "ball" to be held in Tupelo, 19 miles away from the school.
Imagine your high school prom, the last bastion of teenagedom and you cannot attend because people refuse to accept you- a child-for who you
are not to mention taking all the joy and memories from her for a lifetime.