and... now, a photo of her IN the tux!

Go Ceara! (she now has a facebook fan page  as well). ____________________ Officials Respond to Lesbian Student: 'No' to Tuxedo Photo by Emily Dean | Article Date: 10/18/2009 12:35 PM

School officials in Mississippi have denied the lawful request of a Mississippi lesbian student who wanted to use a photograph of her dressed in a tuxedo for her senior yearbook, reports the Examiner. Out and proud 17-year-old high school student Ceara Sturgis wanted her senior photograph in a tuxedo to be used in the 2009-10 yearbook for the Wesson Attendance Center. Her mother, Veronica Rodriguez, was informed last month by school officials her daughter's photo would not be included in the yearbook. The yearbook photo was taken over the summer in the same studio used for the school pictures. "The tux is who she is. She wears boys' clothes. She's athletic. She's gay. She's not feminine," said Rodriguez in an interview. The American Civil Liberties Union took on the case for the high school senior who is being denied placement in the yearbook. It's the first time the Mississippi ACLU has taken on a high school youth gay issue. The ACLU issued a demand letter to Principal Ronald Greer to publish the picture of Sturgis in the tuxedo. And in a statement released Friday to the Copiah County Courier, school Superintendent Ricky Clopton responded to the ACLU saying that the district has no intention of reversing the decision. "We have had our legal counsel research the validity of the position of the School District on this matter," he said in the statement. "We are informed by counsel that this exact issue has been litigated in federal court. The decisions of the federal courts completely support the policy of the district in this regard. It is the desire of the Copiah County School District to inform, first, the patrons of the district, and second, all other interested parties, that its position is not arbitrary, capricious or unlawful, but is based upon sound educational policy and legal precedent." Sturgis is a standout student at her K-12 school of about 1,000 students. She is a National Honor Society member, active in school athletics, band and other extracurricular activities. The teenager said she should get to decide how she looks in the senior photo. "I feel like I'm not important, that the school is dismissing who I am as a gay student and that they don't even care about me. All I want is to be able to be me, and to be included in the yearbook," Sturgis said in a statement. However, Sturgis is not giving up that easily and she plans on continuing her fight, "I'm standing up for a bunch of people who support me," she said. "It's an honor." Last week, a Facebook fan page set up in Sturgis' honor already has more than 450 members.

update on girl w/ tux

Today's news brings photos of Ceara Sturgis, the Mississippi girl who is fighting to wear a tux (and not a "drape")  for her Senior class photo. She's popular, talented in music and sports, and an honor student. I can't wait to see her really fly once she gets out of that small Mississippi town. Next HRC director maybe? What is certain, is that the principle of that school will have years to contemplate his silly, fearful, backwards ways. Sturgis, on the other hand, is clearly moving toward a brighter future (most certainly filled with many eager  girlfriend applicants). Yay Ceara!!!!! and Yah for Ceara's mom too!!!! 

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20091018/NEWS/910180361/School+stands+by+decision+on+photo

Missippi girl fights to wear a tux

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h1gezUV9gTSlVri30_P2V4I5D_BwD9BBS4BO0
How many thousands of butch girls have wanted to wear a tux in high school, for their senior prom (with a hot girl or boi date) or for their senior class photo? Here's a story about a girl who is being told that she needs to look more feminine for her yearbook; in other words, she needs to lie about her gender. Oh, girl, I hope you get out of there quick after graduation. Move to a big city with a strong gay community and you will be celebrated for your tux wearing tendencies!!!

in sapphic love,

"I like your ring"

"I like your ring," said the woman in the window seat. I was on the isle with a space between us.

I turned and met eyes with her: Smiling, blonde, about my age or a bit older.

"Thanks."

"You're engaged, congratulations!" she continued, smiling and nodding approvingly. I smiled back and said, "Yes, I am .... thanks." This time I locked my eyes on hers, attempting to read her.

I turned back to my laptop to mentally assess the situation.

See, before this lady complimented me on my ring, I had read her as a dyke. Something about her posture, her confidence, her lack of a ring. Then again, I often misread people as gay: gay unless otherwise identified. Friends tease me about this tendency, reading everyone as gay. And yet, a girl can hope, can't she?!

An hour passes. I sleep. She sleeps. Then the drink people come. Coffee, tea, soda? "Coffee, black for me," my neighbor said.

I decide to re-engage. "I love coffee, but I can't drink it after 4 pm," I say, in a gesture to re-establish conversation.

"Oh, I used to be that way but I have a new job and with my new wacky schedule it doesn't seem to matter!" she gushed. "Besides, I'm going to see my dad and I haven't seen him in awhile and I'm sure he'll keep me up all night talking, so I'd better get caffeinated!"

That's all it took. My neighbor lady told me all about her dad, her mom (who is remarried in Georgia), her boyfriend who lives 5 hours away, her ex-husband with whom she had birthed, raised, and home-schooled 5 children; her two grandchildren. Her financial devastation after the divorce. Her Christian faith. Getting married at the tender age of 20. Leaving 25 years later after the husband became too violent to bear.

I listened and asked questions. "How long have you been divorced?" (two years) "How are you doing?" I asked. She paused and looked-really looked-at me then and sighed. "I'm ok... it's not what I expected."

There was my entry. "Yeah, me too; I was with my partner for 8 years, and when we split it was really, really tough. And she got everything. I gave her the house and everything in it."

(silence). I look away to let her process this information.


"Oh."

To fill space I told her about how I pay child support; how I only see my child every other weekend during the school year. I also have a long distance lover; she moved from New York to San Francisco to be closer to me. We now own a house in Seattle. She's meeting me at the airport.

My neighbor recovered. She returned to chatting about her dad, her boyfriend, her ex, her kids, the bad job and housing market.

And then she returned to my ring. "So... you're getting married to your ... girlfriend?"

"Yeah, I am!" I smiled.

"It's not legal ...yet.... for us to get married" (she nods, knowingly), "but we are going to become domestic partners. And we are going to have a wedding. It isn't illegal for us to have a big old fancy wedding, after all!" I smile, looking right into her eyes. I continue. "And, you know, I never thought I'd get married, but now I've become somewhat of a Bridezilla!"


My neighbor laughed big then. We both did. We laughed and laughed and laughed.

Soon after it was time to deplane.

"Nice chatting with you" I said.

"Take care of yourself" she replied.