North Central crowns first transgender prom king

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – On Saturday at it’s junior prom, North Central High School students voted for their new prom king.

While they’ve been crowning prom kings and queens for years, this one is a first.

Alan Belmont,17,is the school’s first openly transgender prom king.

He says he spent many years reflecting on his young life. But he says he’s now living the life he’s supposed to live.

“I wanted young kids at my school, who are trans or maybe gay or just coming into their identity, to know that being LGBT doesn’t have to be a cripple and that being LGBT is something that you should be proud of and you should represent,” said Belmont.

Belmont went to the dance with his girlfriend.

“There needs to be a first so other people know that it’s okay to run and that they’ll be safe and that they’ll be celebrated,” he said. It’s kind of a bittersweet thing being the first person because it’s great that there finally is a first person, but the fact that it’s happening so late can be disappointing.”

Alan first came out as transgender while at North Central. Before then, he was in a smaller private school. He says being here has helped him come into himself

“I decided it was finally time to stop hiding everything I was feeling,” he said.

While he says most have been supportive, last week one of his fliers was damaged.

“Being trans doesn’t have to be something that’s so taboo. Being open about your identity is such a wonderful thing and it helps grow confidence and helps people be happy for sure,” he said.

As for the person who wrote that on the poster, Alan says they haven’t found who did it, but says the school is working with him to find them.

Prom photos courtesy instragram/emmaline.jpeg