Mississippi student Constance McMillen was told she couldn't go to her High School prom dance with her girlfriend – and now the school has cancelled the prom altogether after several students spoke out in protest.
Itawamba County School staff told the 18-year-old that she could not bring her girlfriend to the prom and was not allowed to wear a tuxedo, reports local paper The Clarion Ledger.
The school then circulated a memo prohibiting same-sex dates, and made it clear that if McMillen and her partner slow-danced together they would be thrown out.
The student contacted the American Civil Liberties Union, who wrote to the school urging them to reconsider. In response, the school cancelled the prom.
"Oh, my God," reacted McMillen. "That's really messed up because the message they are sending is that if they have to let gay people go to prom that they are not going to have one.
"A bunch of kids at school are really going to hate me for this, so in a way it's really retaliation."
The situation may now end up in court, as a complaint has now been filed in federal court, asking that the prom be reinstated for all students at the school - and charging Itawamba County School District officials with violating McMillen's First Amendment right to freedom of expression.
A Facebook group called 'Let Constance Take Her Girlfriend To The Prom!' has now attracted over 25,000 supporters.
