A controversial hate group that routinely protests at the funerals and concerts of some of Hollywood’s most noted celebrities will picket at the graduation of a rural Mississippi teenager who made national headlines when she was denied the chance to go to her school’s prom because she is a lesbian.
The Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church announced in a statement last weekend that they will be on hand to preach “the word of God” — as they see it at least — during Constance McMillen’s high school commencement ceremony next month.
Disgusting, as if this poor young woman hasn’t been through enough torment. Homophobia is so ’80s.
“[We] will picket the graduation of Itawamba Agricultural High School to remind the parents, teachers and students of this nation that God said ‘Thou shall not lie with mankind, as with womankind, it is abomination.’ This generation has been raised to believe that they can live for the devil and still go to heaven, that God has no standards and the biggest lie of all – that God loves everyone,” according to a press statement released by Westboro and obtained by PinkNews this week.
The Fulton, Mississippi teenager’s prom was cancelled after she asked to bring a same-sex date. McMillen fought a legal battle with Itawamba County Agricultural High School after administrators refused to allow her to attend the prom with her girlfriend. She won in court after the judge found that the school had violated her freedom of expression, but the court did not force the school to reinstate the prom.
McMillen eventually got to attend a privately held prom, but said afterward that the one she went to was actually a “fake,” while most of the rest of her classmates attended another prom — hosted by parents no less — that she was not told about.
The shy 18-year-old received national attention for her battle. She was presented with a $30,000 scholarship from Tonic.com, a digital media company, during an appearance on Ellen last month.
She’s also been invited to take part in New York City’s world-famous Gay Pride Parade in Greenwich Village this June.