17-year-old lesbian sues to wear tuxedo to prom (and wins!)

Stories like this actually befuddle me. I just can't wrap my head around the fact that in this day and age, gay teenagers continue to face discrimination, by public officials no less. Also: Who cares what a girl or boy wears to the prom, as long as it's dressy and none of his or her bits is hanging out?

Anyway. Last week, an Indiana teenager filed a lawsuit against her high school after the principal told her she could not wear a tuxedo to the senior prom.

The student (her name was not released because she's a minor) identifies herself as a lesbian, and she doesn't wear dresses because they represent a "sexual identity she rejects," according to the court filing. This became a problem because the school's dress code required that female students wear formal gowns to the big dance, without exception.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana jumped in to help the 17-year-old, claiming the school's policy discriminated against students based on gender, and violated the high school senior's right to free speech and the equal protection clause of the Constitution.

After a bit of hedging and attempts to pacify the girl (they told her she could wear a woman's pantsuit if she preferred, basically so not the same as a tux), school officials eventually capitulated and, in a statement issued on Friday, they reversed the antiquated dress code altogether:

"School policy for this year's prom will be that all attendees shall wear appropriate formal attire with no gender-based attire requirements imposed. Female students will be permitted to wear tuxedos if they chose."

Case closed in just four days.

TheIndyChannel