Gay student & developmentally disabled sent to fake prom

By GottaLaff

So many words come to mind after reading this: Cowards. Discrimination. Hate. Ignorance. Pain. Shame. Wrong. Segregation. Tears. Reprehensible. Deception. Sneaky. Bullies. And several others that are unprintable....

To avoid Constance McMillen bringing a female date to her prom, the teen was sent to a "fake prom" while the rest of her class partied at a secret location at an event organized by parents.

What must this be doing to Constance? I can't even imagine, even though I can actually relate somewhat, because I went through a lot of bullying when I was a teeny, skinny, shy teen. But she seems to be one strong kid, stronger than most:

McMillen tells The Advocate that a parent-organized prom happened behind her back — she and her date were sent to a Friday night event at a country club in Fulton, Miss., that attracted only five other students. Her school principal and teachers served as chaperones, but clearly there wasn't much to keep an eye on.

This next part will add to your current nausea:

Two students with learning difficulties were among the seven people at the country club event, McMillen recalls.

I work with special ed kids all the time. They are wonderful, sweet, and do nobody any harm. These are people, with feelings, who are being treated as if they have none, who are being looked on as less important, as something so offensive, so contemptible, that they have to be hidden away.

I can't imagine how "branded" these seven students must feel, and what an indelible imprint this has made, regardless of how courageous they may seem to us, or how big her smile is in that photo (go read the whole piece; Constance is an amazing, positive teen).

They hurt.

And I hurt for them.

H/t: BetseyB, Greg Ostravich

PhotObama: Michelle Obama's high school prom date was no Barack

By GottaLaff

Prom Night! 18-year-old beauty named Michelle Robinson: Check. Flirty low-cut dress slashed to the thigh: Check. Handsome prom date: Check. David Upchurch instead of Barack Obama: Ruh-roh!

Back then, [Upchurch] recalls Michelle exhibited the drive that would take her from a rough Chicago neighbourhood to Harvard University and on to a law career where she would later meet her husband, Barack Obama.

David said: 'I grew up with Michelle and her brother Craig. We were neighbours, and our families were close.

'When Michelle was in the middle of her junior year, we began dating and continued to date for a year-and-a-half.

'Michelle knew what she wanted and after graduation she was off to Princeton University. I couldn't stand in her way.'

Perhaps mindful that her husband is the President, David refuses to 'kiss and tell' about their time together.

He says he can't even remember if he received a goodnight kiss after the prom.
The romance ended when Michelle went off to Princeton to study sociology. [...]

'I wished the best for Michelle because she has always been a wonderful person,' he said.

'I always knew Michelle was special and would make a difference in the world.' [...]

David, a divorced father-of-three from Colorado Springs, Colorado, says he finds it hard to believe his prom date ended up in the White House.

'I cannot tell you how proud I am of her and her husband. I have never met Barack, but I have to say, he is a very lucky man,' he said.

David Upchurch: The Pete Best of dating.