For the homecoming season at Eastern Michigan University, most candidates campaigned in Spirit Stations, on Facebook, with posters and by word-of-mouth to get elected for the crown. Candidate Muneeb Khan, a man, campaigned to not be disqualified from running for homecoming queen.

“I’d hate to take a spot away from one of the queen candidates because there are three I know as friends,” Khan said. “I want to get votes because people read the platform. My running has nothing to do with winning.”

For Khan, who plans to graduate in 2011 with a major in Pre-Med, the decision to run for queen was spontaneous. Khan is an active member of the EMU community, where he is the Speaker of the Senate for EMU Student Government and he helped found Delta Sigma Phi. He also works at the Information Desk in Halle Library.

While at a meeting with his fraternity, the topic of discussion turned to homecoming and how it would be a cool if a male ran for queen or a female ran for king. Khan saw this opportunity and said, “Why not? I’ll do it.

“For me, it’s not a big deal. I did it just to show it’s possible,” said Khan, who was not selected for the court. “It’s not the name of the person running, it’s the message. I’m more interested that my running becomes a topic of discussion than getting elected on court. I didn’t do it to draw attention.”

Khan’s platform was his way of showing support for anyone who identifies or struggles with cultural gender norms. It has been said there might not be the title of homecoming king or queen next year, because it will be altered to convey a more inclusive message.

“I don’t know if that will be the case or not,” said Greg Costanzo, program coordinator of Campus Life. “I think it’s a discussion the university will have. That wouldn’t be anything that will be decided without input from a lot of people, including students.”

So far, Khan said he has not personally received any negative feedback from his actions. The responses he has encountered stem from confusion or support.

“People have been like, ‘Why?’ Why not let someone who is transgender do it?” Khan said. “I think it would be great to have someone who is transgender run, and they have the right to.”

Many students at EMU did not know a male was running for homecoming queen until they went online to vote. When EMU accounting major Delano Brown, 20, found out, he was not supportive of the idea.

“I’m not the person to judge him for trying to go for queen, but at the same time, I don’t think it is right,” Brown said. “Males for king and females for queen; that is how I think it always should be. A person’s preference should not determine whether they run for king or queen – it’s their gender, not their preference.”

EMU Electronic Media and Film major Shanelle Johnson, 21, said if Khan needs to run for queen, he should go ahead.

“I think it’s very brave of him,” Johnson said. “That’s something totally different that our culture hasn’t seen yet. We’ve seen the same sex take each other to prom, but not run for a position in homecoming court.”

Because Khan chose to keep a low profile, he is surprised by the support he has gotten from strangers. One EMU professor sent him an e-mail saying it’s about time someone did this. Khan also received an e-mail of support from a student at Mona Shores High School in Muskegon, Mich., who goes to school with a transgender female who ran for homecoming king this year.

According to AOL News, Oakleigh Marie Reed was barred from becoming homecoming king because he was born a girl. Reed’s name did not appear among the list of candidates when the results were announced. Students at Mona Shores High School started a Facebook group called “Oak is My King” to show support for Reed.

According to the “Oak is My King” Facebook page, “Oak Reed received the most votes for homecoming king. Period. Our school not only lied to students, but they also promoted transphobia.”

Johnson thinks it is cool that EMU allowed Khan to run for homecoming queen because now she knows she can stand up for the things she would like to stand up for.

“I had absolutely no one who opposed my idea,” Khan said. “That’s awesome, so for me, the win was right there.”

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