BREAKING: Georgia Teen Attends Prom

Jim Burroway

April 19th, 2010

Derrick Martin, the rural Georgia teen who quietly got permission to bring his boyfriend to the Bleckley County High School prom, apparently got everything that he hoped for:

When Martin, 18, and his boyfriend Richard Goodman, also 18, stepped onto a makeshift “red carpet” and their names were announced, a few parents whispered but many in the crowd gave him a loud cheer. No one yelled out in protest.

“I wonder if they realize what they’ve done,” said Arturro Beeche, a San Francisco professor who flew into Georgia on Friday and drove Martin and Goodman to the prom. “Once it happens in small-town America, it will inspire so many,” he said.

Maybe someday all proms will be this uneventful.

b

April 19th, 2010

“Maybe someday all proms will be this uneventful.”

TRUE THAT!!! We just have to keep living open, honest lives and being the best we can be, and then not just proms but all walks of life for LGBTs will be just as blissfully uneventful. It’s good to see a story like this, thank you for that. :)

Ben in Oakland

April 19th, 2010

Apparently, at least according to the right wingers, these two boys have more ocurage than the whole US Marine corps, army, and navy combined.

John

April 19th, 2010

Awesome and a handsome young couple. I never was much for school events like the prom but it’s nice to see that students having the option of taking the date of their choice if they really want to go.

JandyA

April 19th, 2010

You guys are so courageous. As an older gay man, I wish to extend to BOTH OF YOU BOYS, my gratitude and respect. You have taken One Giant Leap for gay-kind. HOORAH to YOU BOTH.

Paul in Canada

April 19th, 2010

Absolutely inspiring!

Regan DuCasse

April 19th, 2010

They are quite handsome, aren’t they? LOVE the black on black tuxes.

Way to go, boys!

Have Derrick’s folks let him move back yet?

Aconite

April 19th, 2010

Any word on what Derrick’s situation is? Does he have a safe and permanent place to stay? Is he going off to college in the fall, and does he have the resources he needs? This kid paid a big price for being brave, and I would like to see him get at least as much support as Constance is getting.

Emily K

April 19th, 2010

In 2000, when I was a sophomore in high school, a friend of mine who was then a junior went to the prom with her friend who was a senior – both of them are girls. The senior is a lesbian; that’s why she asked this friend to go with her – because it felt natural to ask a girl not a boy.

I don’t believe a single eyelash was batted.

I personally went with one of my best friends who happened to be a boy.

Emelye Waldherr

April 23rd, 2010

While congratulating this couple for their daring success I also have to wonder what the outcome would have been had one of them planned to wear a ball gown and heels instead of a tux since the real issue in Mississippi with Constance McMillan was cross gendered clothing rather than a same sex date.

AllenAtlanta

April 23rd, 2010

Awesome! As an older gay guy from Macon in central Georgia, I never thought the “rednecks” of Georgia would ever accept gays into everyday normal social life. These two young gay guys and the people of Cochran, Georgia have proven me wrong. I am very proud of these two young gay guys for being so brave. I am even more proud of the heterosexuals in the crowd at the prom who cheered them!

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