Gender-neutral homecoming: No more kings and queens in effort to include LGBT students

Linh Ta | The Des Moines Register

Show Caption Hide Caption CKHS gender-neutral homecoming Central Kitsap High School went gender-neutral in 2017. This year, instead of a homecoming king and queen, there were two "sovereigns." Students got to vote for people regardless of their gender or gender identity.

Iowa City students are dismantling the labels of homecoming king and queen in an effort to be more inclusive to all of their peers, including those in the LGBT community.

Students at West High School decided to eliminate homecoming king and queen after learning that nonbinary students, who don't identify as male or female, felt the least connected and safe at school than their peers. Liberty High School in Iowa City also decided to not use a homecoming king and homecoming queen.

On Saturday, West high held its homecoming dance and celebrated.

"A lot of LGBT students don’t feel safe in school in the sense they don’t feel like they can be authentic and themselves," said Travis Henderson, a teacher at West High School.

The Iowa City school district conducts an annual school-climate survey to ask students whether they feel safe and valued at school.

While other students rated in the high 70s and 80s, nonbinary students averaged around 61 percent.

These results prompted student leaders to examine the national tradition of nominating homecoming kings and queens, and instead, create "Heroes of Troy," a more open label that's a nod toward the school's mascot, the Trojans.

Students also decided to eliminate homecoming categories like "most talented," "most spirited" and "most athletic" in favor of people writing a paragraph and nominating each other for contributions to the school.

"Everyone has the opportunity to see themselves in places like homecoming court despite their home situation, their race, their sexuality," said Anjali Huynh, a senior and member of student senate, which helps run homecoming.

The change prompted more diversity in the people nominated for homecoming recognition, including students with special needs, LGBT students and students with varying racial and ethnic backgrounds.

But not everybody was on board with the changes at first.

Some students were upset — not because of the removal of king and queen, but because they wanted to be recognized as most talented or athletic.

While on the other end, adults on the internet were upset about the effort to eliminate gendered categories.

Despite some of the negative comments online, Henderson said students had a positive homecoming experience and saw more of the student body represented this year.

They also learned more about each other, he said. A football player was in the homecoming court, but instead of just being recognized for his athletic abilities, his peers learned about his welcoming attitude and goals to join the military.

Initiatives like this aren't going to go away as more young people feel comfortable coming out as the gender they identify with, Henderson said.

Gregg Shoultz, principal at West High School, said more LGBT students are coming out across Iowa.

"They’re now up and front and a part of our school communities," Shoultz said. "It’s not just an Iowa City thing. More and more kids are feeling more comfortable to identify with the gender they identify with, not the ones they were assigned."