Prom as a Cultural Right

Many have heard about Constance McMillen, the student from Fulton, MI who was denied her right to attend prom by her school board because she wished to go with her girlfriend. To that end, most bloggers have explored the unfairness and down right discrimination against homosexual couples in high school settings. Since there's a lot out there on the subject, I'd like to look at this from a different angle.

Do students have the right to prom? Or just the privilege? Sure, administrations make revoke a student's opportunity to participate in prom night in serious disciplinary situations but I propose that these extreme punishments do not obstruct the cultural mindset that every American student should have the opportunity to participate in this hallowed high school benchmark night.

As a society, Americans have been promoting prom as an institution since the 1950s. Today, the average American teenager spends $600 on the night (Katie's Project, TheSunNews.com). Money tends to show how seriously our culture takes something. $600 is a quite a bit. The perfect date, the perfect hair, the perfect dress -- most girls I know have dreamed about prom since they watched Cinderella for the first. Prom is our night to be princes and princesses - and our society takes that very seriously.

The 1980s heralded the cinema era for Prom. Hollywood commemorates the event in the vast majority of its teen movies, or it substitutes by concluding with some other large, prom-style dance. Pretty in Pink starring Molly Ringwald serves as a primer for preteens. More recently, Disney's High School Musical 3: Senior Year highlights society's value of prom. Troy drives 1000 miles from Albuquerque to Stanford in northern California to "bring prom" to his girlfriend Gabriella. He declares that there is no prom for him without her. He even brings a corsage, the flower traditionally worn on a girl's wrist at prom (usually given to her by her date), and slips it onto her wrist.

Given the media deluge and the amount of money spent on prom each year, it is evident that Prom is an ingrained American tradition - a cultural right as much as fireworks on the Fourth of July. To deny anyone this right for any reason other than severe disciplinary cases is plainly despicable.

Costs of Prom:

YouthNoise Factiods

TheSunNews.com

Troy and Gabriella Prom (YouTube Video)

the prom chair

April 14th Update:

Constance McMillen will be grand marshall of the gay pride parade in New York City this year on June 27. Sadly, her prom night was stolen from her but some good has resulted from her story. Constance, you got the word out there and raised awareness. We are all created equal. You fought for your rights as an American. When you march, you truly deserve that march so congratulations.

New York Times - Unwelcome at Prom, but Leading Pride Parade

the prom chair