Nasir Fleming, gay Connecticut teen, crowned high school Prom Queen

Local history was made Saturday when one high school in Connecticut crowned a gay, male student as Prom Queen — a recognition he says sends a strong message against transphobia.

Students at Danbury High School decided to make a statement at this year’s senior prom by electing 17-year-old Nasir Fleming to win the title of Prom Queen. Fleming — who is not transgender himself — uploaded a video of his crowning ceremony to You Tube and described the moment as one that sheds light on the LGBT community and some of the barriers they face.

“Even though I identify as male, winning this title is a statement against transphobia,” he wrote on You Tube. “As gay people, more or less, are becoming accepted in society, transgendered people are still discriminated against severely.”

Fleming’s classmates originally hoped the teen would earn the recognition of both Prom King and Queen, but Fleming eventually chose to reign as Prom Queen in an effort to bring further awareness to the transgender community, reports White Plains Patch.

“If I can win a title that is outside of my gender, there is no reason why a trans-person should have any problems winning titles in his/her gender (Prom Queen, Miss America, etc). Stop the hate, start the love,” Fleming wrote.

As for the title of Prom King, that recognition went to a student named Rohit Das who offered to dance with Fleming after the two were crowned — but both Das and Fleming ended up bringing in the traditional dance with their respective dates.

“To be able to say, ‘Even though I’m straight and like girls, I’m willing to dance with a gay guy at the prom’ is huge,” Fleming said.

Fleming’s video on You Tube has received over 50,000 views thus far — along with several comments criticizing the young teen and his recent crowning.

To his critics, Fleming says: “I’m flattered. I consider myself the king — or queen — of controversy. They can say what they want, so long as they’re watching.”

According to the Danbury News-Times, Fleming will attend Manhattanville College, in Purchase, N.Y., in the fall.