A "rally for equality" is scheduled for Friday at 6 pm near Macon, Georgia's City Hall in support of Derrick Martin, the Georgia teen who was recently kicked out of his home after the story broke that he was bringing his boyfriend to prom:
"The Macon chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays is holding the 'rally for equality' at 6 p.m. Friday and says the student, Derrick Martin, as well as Deonna Sage, who performs in drag, will attend. The event is in response to two instances of anti-gay expression in Middle Georgia, according to a PFLAG news release...Friday’s rally in Macon is a chance to counter the opposition by showing support for Martin and appreciation to Bleckley County High School for making the right decision to allow the prom date, according to Edric Floyd, chapter co-president of PFLAG Macon.
Sage, who performed during the recent Cherry Blossom Festival fashion show, faced harassment from a few people fueled by a radio talk show host, the release said.
'This is an opportunity to band together in support of our community and both of our members who faced public opposition for being who they are,' the release said."
WTF??? The school was okay with it but his own damn parents weren't???
Hunny, if you are reading this you can come stay with me. Shame on his parents. Shame. Shame.
Posted by: Rin | Apr 7, 2010 2:03:25 PM
Yes, that's just what this kid needs...some drag queen performing at his rally. That will win the folks over for sure!
Posted by: txstevo | Apr 7, 2010 2:17:02 PM
Trannies are trouble.
Posted by: Pinky | Apr 7, 2010 2:24:19 PM
The poor girl from Mississippi and this boy from Georgia. I would be inclined to blame the south for being backwards, but I grew up in Indiana soooo yea. Good luck to ALL LGBT youth in the south (and places like small town Indiana)
Posted by: beegee | Apr 7, 2010 2:24:54 PM
@txstevo ...yeah thinking the same thing, kicked out cause he brought media attn to the home, and than they decide the answer is a drag parade...
Look no offense to drag queens but why exactly are they considered the face of gay?? I don't even like real girls, why should i be represented by a fake girl?
Posted by: Tim | Apr 7, 2010 2:25:33 PM
Hey Txstevo & Tim, you'd better be thankful that some "fake girl" drag queens at a certain place called Stonewall fought for your rights to be such judgmental asses towards parts of your own community.
Posted by: Ian | Apr 7, 2010 2:34:32 PM
What idiot thought that a drag performer was best thing for a rally for gay kids in school in conservative Georgia? Now Derrick is going to be associated with that, and acceptance of gay kids will be linked to acceptance of cross-dressing (and since this is a performer, probably outlandish cross-dressing).
Ian: Get a clue. What is appropriate for a sleazy dive bar in Greenwich Village at 2 am is not appropriate for a small town in Georgia at an event focused on kids. By your logic, Stonewall was a mafia-run bar, so PFLAG in Georgia should get some mobsters involved in their demo.
Posted by: Jon | Apr 7, 2010 2:40:36 PM
Geez, drag queens?
I swear, we can be as tone-deaf and obtuse as the Pope.
Posted by: Soren456 | Apr 7, 2010 2:46:17 PM
I agree on the whole drag queen thing. I think it's a BAD idea for this rally. Not the right time or place. I feel like someone should contact the Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays & ask them to reconsider the drag inclusion.... even if it's just Deonna Sage talking about how she was recently harassed. I'm sure they can find other members of the LGBT community who have suffered harassment (sadly) & are NOT in drag.
Posted by: Matt | Apr 7, 2010 2:47:31 PM
Apparently some here are not able to read. The rally is in support of two local citizens -- a gay male teen, and a drag performer -- who either challenged discrimination or were openly discriminated against in a forum. They didn't add a drag performer to a rally for the boy. The rally is to support BOTH of them.
Posted by: MrRoboto | Apr 7, 2010 3:22:01 PM
I might point out that cross dressing is, in the south, a partial response to the immense oppression of damn near everything.
Inside of Atlanta, we're relatively free to just be ourselves and the gays are relatively indistinguishable from the heterosexuals (my gaydar be damned). Outside of the city, gay boys grow up to be married dads who wear panties under their slacks simply because it's the one thing they can do to "escape".
I'd prefer the Sisters take the stage, though, as their incredibly over-the-top pageantry is perfectly matched satire for the religious institutions at the root of this nonsense.
Posted by: Sean Mac | Apr 7, 2010 3:29:02 PM
There's an interesting bit at BILERICO today relating Constance McMillen's story to that of a trans boy at her school who was literally thrown out of the place for wearing "inappropriate clothing". According to this, Constance chose to ask to attend her prom dressed in a tuxedo in support of and in solidarity with the student--who had moved with his family to safer, relatively friendlier, Florida. That town is a nest of vipers.
Posted by: gregorybrown | Apr 7, 2010 3:34:30 PM
"Hey Txstevo & Tim, you'd better be thankful that some "fake girl" drag queens at a certain place called Stonewall fought for your rights to be such judgmental asses towards parts of your own community."
Sorry, but that was proven to be a major misrepresentation of the role of drag queens in the riots. There were very few drag queens allowed at the Stonewall Inn.
What we have here is a segment of the gay community that have over-stated their role to the point of taking full credit for the stonewall riots. There was a book that came out maybe five years ago where they interviewed some of the police involved and also some of the other participants, and it placed a lot of doubts about the role of drag queens.
I think you have to thank the effeminate men, hippies and possibly one lesbian who was probably the one who resisted being put into a paddy wagon.
Posted by: Chrissypoo | Apr 7, 2010 3:50:39 PM
@Tim -- what's wrong with "real girls" and drag queens? It was probably the "real girls" who defended you in high school, and as for the drag queens at Stonewall...they did in fact throw the first brick and they have always shown that life isn't about being serious, its about having fun even in the face of adversity.
Posted by: Rin | Apr 7, 2010 4:48:07 PM
Great post, Chrissypoo, was the book you were thinking of "Stonewall" by Martin Duberman?
Good luck to Derrick, in any case.
Posted by: Henry Holland | Apr 7, 2010 4:51:54 PM
Hey, I think drag queens are great. But there is a time and place for everything.
Posted by: txstevo | Apr 7, 2010 4:56:43 PM
Totally agree with txstevo
Posted by: Brian | Apr 7, 2010 5:21:57 PM
Part of the reason why this kids' parents kicked him out was because they didn't like the attention. The school is allowing him to go to prom with his boyfriend. So Why is there a rally at all?
He should be allowed to go to prom with his boyfriend, without fuss and without media attention. This media attention, the rallies, and the drag queen are why schools do NOT want to deal with LGBT students.
Posted by: Mike C. | Apr 7, 2010 7:41:43 PM
So when is Point Foundation going to give this kid $$$$$?
Posted by: mike flower | Apr 8, 2010 2:29:21 AM
I think there's a rally because despite the school seems to be far FAR more accepting than his parents, the boy is becoming another sad marginalized statistic because his family kicked him out because of his sexual orientation(or a disagreement that started because of it). Either way, this happens far too often, the number of homeless gay youth is pretty high and ususally underreported.
Posted by: g_whiz | Apr 8, 2010 7:14:52 AM
As a resident of rural Georgia, it's "Public Awareness" of issues such as Derrick Martin's unfortunate situation which opens minds for debate. If you live here, then you'd know it's a "stay in the closet and shut the F_ _ _ up" mentality thrown at us by religious figures, homophobic sects, and legalities! I'm proud of you Derrick! Stand up and fight, most of the folk posting most likely have NEVER endured the pain and suffering us southern small town folk have as openly gay men.
Posted by: StevenNSharpsburg | Apr 8, 2010 2:06:34 PM
Unfortunately, the school and larger community fear what they do not understand; gay people are everywhere, in the midst of your schools, teachers, doctors, churches, neighborhoods, athletic teams. Get over yourselves and let the kids attend their prom the same as anyone else. Some of the baseball team probably secretly would like to do the same but are afraid!
Derrick am proud of you and your friend. Stand up and fight! a retired teacher...
Posted by: Bobel | Apr 16, 2010 3:43:47 PM
in 1965 blacks in GA had to demonstrate for civil and equal rights... just to vote. Today GLBT folks have to fight to have equal justice and respect. Keep looking up and God will bless you....
Posted by: Bobel | Apr 16, 2010 3:46:41 PM
His parents should be ashamed for not standing beside their son.. and his father a teacher? how compassionate and caring is he? as a Christian, Gay Man, a retired teacher, I have real concerns and compassion for this young man and his safety. Pray he will soon be out of this mess and into the university to study and become a professional in our society.
God bless him, his my prayer.
Posted by: Bobel | Apr 19, 2010 9:13:53 PM