Catholic School Tells Lesbian Couple No Same-Sex Dates Allowed At Prom
By Mustafa GatollariUpdated Nov. 18 2019, 2:18 p.m. ET
Prom is an exciting time for just about every teenager, including those who are in same-sex relationships. For 17-year-old Paula Goodgame and her girlfriend, Anjali Persad, who have been dating for about four months, planning for prom was exactly the same experience as those of heterosexual teenagers: They chose their outfits, made plans, and were looking forward to spending the evening together as a date.
Unfortunately, Goodgame learned via an email from her school's guidance counselor that she was not permitted to bring a same-sex date to the prom. Per the school's guidelines, it does specify that "escorts must be of the opposite gender," but for students in same-sex relationships, this can feel like an isolating, invalidating rule to follow.
A week before prom and i'm not allowed to take my girlfriend...it's not like we already bought what we were gonna wear or anything... pic.twitter.com/JwyQ9ZzpQS
— Paula Goodgame (@paula_goodgame) March 29, 2017Paula, a student from St. Petersburg Catholic High School, originally emailed a teacher to clarify if she could bring her girlfriend as her date. When she didn't get a response, she reached out to the guidance counselor, who informed her of the above policy.
Obviously, people on Twitter were pissed.
@paula_goodgame this?? is??? bullshit????
— bri (@iamabriannaa) March 29, 2017@paula_goodgame @anj_ovies this is absolute bullshit lol. Please just go together anyway!
— dodie (@doddleoddle) March 30, 2017Others wanted to start an email campaign and bombard the school's principal.
@onlinepug @paula_goodgame I think we should just flood her email with how this is not okay at all and then maybe they'll change their minds
— Madz🌺 (@maddy_ayee) March 29, 2017@maddy_ayee Principal can be reached at bfernandez@spchs.org. Lets let him know this is completely wrong.
— lara (@onlinepug) March 29, 2017@paula_goodgame @anj_ovies i got yall 💓 hope it all works out!! pic.twitter.com/Pdtberg7md
— huh (@rosiecookk) March 30, 2017Others pointed out that because she attends a Catholic school, they may not be subject to district regulations.
.@emma_remer if it's a catholic school i don't think they're subject to district rules bc of religious reasons. idk i could be wrong
— leia 🏳️🌈 (@leiajordan) March 30, 2017If a school doesn't receive any state funding, then there probably isn't a way to rebut the rule.
But others are offering advice saying that they should be able to go together.
@paula_goodgame @anj_ovies @damnlias file an injunctive relief with your local court cite freedom of expression&SCOTUS same-sex rulings
— Raider (@DemRaider21) March 30, 2017@paula_goodgame @anj_ovies @damnlias I'm a military paralegal you should be fine regardless of if the schools pvt or religious
— Raider (@DemRaider21) March 30, 2017Some made a good point regarding same-sex relationships too, pointing to Pope Francis as inspiration.
@RR_KTK @paula_goodgame @anj_ovies
“If someone is gay and searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” - Pope Francis
Regardless of the legality of the ruling, people were still furious.
Given that LGBTQ youth suffer from higher rates of depression, anxiety, and bullying than their heterosexual and cisgender peers, being told that they can't be true to themselves even during a social activity, like the prom, can be especially devastating for their self-esteem.
Hopefully, the girls will be able to attend prom together, and the attention on this situation will help more schools to adjust their policies to be more inclusive and welcoming for all students.
More from Distractify
25 Extreme Cheapskates Who Tried to Cheat People and Got Destroyed
People Are Sharing Times They Experienced a “Glitch in the Matrix”
PETA Is Getting Roasted by This Seafood Restaurant
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pbXSramam6Ses7p6wqikaKyimrultc2gZmtoYWx8cX%2BObGhonIV%2Bpql707CgrayVp3qordhmmqitoKGybrzRqKQ%3D