Prom Queen Sergio Garcia
LA Times photo by Liz Q. Baylen The prom queen at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles wore a charcoal-gray tuxedo and a black bow tie rather than a fancy dress to the spring dance, but he told a reporter, “don't be fooled, deep down inside, I am a queen!”
Sergio Garcia, 18, is aspiring choreographer and hairdresser, according to Los Angeles Times. He has been out and gay for most of his four years at the school which is near West Hollywood.
Garcia beat out a handful of female candidates to become prom queen, after a campaign that he told reporter Ari B. Bloomekatz of the Los Angeles Times started out as a stunt.
But he said the campaign turned into more than that before the vote was held. It became a reflection on high-school culture, gender roles, and popularity.
During an assembly when the candidates gave short speeches about why they deserved the crown, Garcia told his classmates, “At one time, prom may have been a big popularity contest where the best-looking guy or girl were crowned king and queen. Things have changed and it’s no longer just about who has the most friends or who wears the coolest clothes,” Garcia told the crowd of seniors. “Sure, I'm not your typical prom queen candidate. There’s more to me than meets the eye.”
The audience erupted in applause after his speech, LA Times reports. And the speech may have won the vote for him.
“His speech was great,” recalled Unique Payne, 17, a senior who told the LA Times’s Bloomekatz that she voted for Garcia. “I did it because I support the gay community,” she said.
Another student said Garcia “spoke with complete confidence” and carried himself in a way that made students believe he was serious, not a class clown or joker just trying to get attention.
But – of course – not all students agreed. Bloomekatz found several, including some members of the prom court, who were upset that Garcia had run. One guy complained to Bloomekatz that fellow students had voted for Garcia only because they wanted to see the prom king dance with another guy – a comment which itself demonstrates a whole lot about high-school culture, gender roles, and popularity.
Last modified: 28 May 09 12:12
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