LGBT Students Feel Safe At Homecoming
By Emily Lowes, ’19
Homecoming is right around the corner, and this year many students are feeling safe enough to go with their same sex partners.
Many students have been feeling more comfortable expressing their sexualities in school. Carson Ozcomert, vice president of the Gay Straight Alliance, said, “This year I feel a lot safer talking about being openly gay in my classes.”
As for advice for LGBT couples going to their first dance together, “If you feel uncomfortable any point you can absolutely go and move away from whoever is making you feel uncomfortable,” Ozcomert said. “There are people there who will help you feel comfortable.”
A similar sentiment was expressed by asexual students junior Emily Ravine and senior Melissa Herzog.
“All of your decisions should be made with your safety first and foremost,” Ravine said.
Ravine also encouraged any LGBT teens to come find her or other LGBT couples at Homecoming if they feel uncomfortable.
“It just makes it easier being around really open minded people,” Herzog said.
Student Council advisor Kim Brown seemed optimistic about the open mindedness of students. She said same sex couples at dances aren’t unheard of.
“The best way to promote change is for students to start themselves,” Brown said.
Heterosexual freshman Bella Morris credited this changing society on the recent surge of LGBT celebrities, like Caitlyn Jenner and Ellen Page.
“I think that it was undeniable that this is going to happen one day,” Jenner said. “Even if it took another hundred years or maybe… a couple hundred years, it was going to happen. This is undeniable that there are people who are gay and that’s OK.”