Why it
seemed like only a minute ago that I posted about Cassidy Lynn Campbell
becoming perhaps the first transgender homecoming queen in US history out there
in California—see that post HERE. I loved that story, seeing it for what it was,
a huge shift, in at least one spot, in the attitudes toward transgender people.
Of course, on the other side of the country, in Pennsylvania to be exact, the
attitudes haven’t shifted.
The Richland School
Board, in western Pennsylvania has ruled that Kasey Caron — born female, though
he now identifies as male — cannot run for homecoming king, and they put his name on the ballot as homecoming queen.
School Board attorney
Timothy Leventry says Pennsylvania law — an outdated law that needs to change —
requires a person born female to have a physician certify a sex change
operation and have their birth certificate legally changed to be considered
male. As a result, the Richland board refused to recognize Kasey as a boy — even
though his family, friends, classmates and teachers refer to Kasey as 'him.' A young
man, in the eyes of everyone, but the school board, a third party, declares
that he isn’t male, but female.
Kasey was born with
polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition that leads to a hormone imbalance where
the ovaries make more male hormones than normal; he has been subjected to the question
‘Are you a boy or a girl?’ all of his life, but all through his high school
years he has identified as male. Even his teachers and classmates see him as male.
Earlier this year, a guidance counselor suggested he enter his name for
homecoming king, and Kasey felt certain the school would accept his gender
identity, but on the day the student body was scheduled to vote for the
homecoming court, administrators told Caron that they were required to list him,
him, on the female ballot, because he
is legally identified as female on his driver's license.
Kasey’s name was on
the female ballot, but students voted him onto the homecoming court and then, calling
Caron’s a 'unique situation' school administrators said he could go to the
homecoming parade with a date of his choice, rather than automatically pairing
him with another male student running for homecoming king.
How big of them … okay, it was something, something small, but
something.
Kasey, who plans to
clinically transition once he turns 18, is disappointed that the school board
didn't immediately rule on the request, but he remains hopeful.
“I thought they were going to have a change of heart. I am still hoping for one.”
Kathy Caron has said she will continue to support Kasey:
"I love my son, and my son is the most awesome. I couldn't ask for anything better."
My son; that says it all.
