The University of Minnesota is dropping the king and queen from its Homecoming festivities in the name of gender inclusivity.

Instead, the U will name two Homecoming “royals” this fall, no matter their gender identity.

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John Najarian, a giant in organ transplant surgery at UMN, dies at 92 “We wish to promote a spirit of inclusion at the University of Minnesota. This change allows the University to select the best student representatives for the U of M based on campus and community involvement — regardless of gender,” the Student Activities Office said in an announcement asking for royalty applications.

As in past years, the U will name 10 students to Homecoming court, only this year the mix won’t necessarily be five men and five women. Those 10 will be paired at random to compete in pre-Homecoming events, and their performance, along with a university-wide vote, will determine the two royals.

Devin Graf, a junior on the Homecoming planning board, said the change tells transgender and gender nonconforming students that “there’s a place for them on our Homecoming court.”

In past years, students could apply for either king or queen.

Marissa Suiter, who oversees the student board, said the change was sparked by parent complaints last year about a pre-Homecoming children’s coloring contest, which named boy and girl winners in each age group.

That led students and staff to think about ways to make Homecoming more inclusive. Ultimately, Suiter said, the four-student board agreed to take gender out of the equation for Homecoming royalty.

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire made the same change two years ago, and UW-Stout and Winona State University followed last year.

Royals get a scholarship and represent the U at on-campus and external events, including the Minnesota State Fair.