<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div>Courtesy of <i>Bustle: News and Entertainment for Women</i> (Brooklyn, New York) at:</div><div><br></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/kk2dh2g">http://tinyurl.com/kk2dh2g</a></span></div><div><br></div><div>---------------------------------------</div><div><br></div><div><h1 class="article-page-title" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-weight: 400; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; text-transform: uppercase; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 1.943em; font-family: brandon-grotesque, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(76, 76, 76);">TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL ELECTS GAY HOMECOMING QUEEN AND THE WORLD ISN'T ENTIRELY TERRIBLE TODAY</h1></div><div><br></div><div><img src="cid:F0336C52-F9B4-4DE5-BFB6-A767EE33C9FC" alt="image1.jpeg" id="F0336C52-F9B4-4DE5-BFB6-A767EE33C9FC"></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Texas teens are officially giving us more hope than Texas lawmakers: <a target="_blank" href="http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2014/10/04/mckinney-high-school-crowns-lesbian-homecoming-queen/" style="box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word; transition: color 0.15s linear; -webkit-transition: color 0.15s linear; background-position: 0px 0px;">April Swartz-Larson, a 17-year-old lesbian student, was crowned homecoming queen at McKinney High School</a> in McKinney, Texas. Why is this a big deal? To quote the queen herself, “I’m not the typical choice for homecoming queen at all. I’m gay, first of all, and I’m gay…living in McKinney.” She accepted the honors in a tuxedo with a purple shirt and turquoise bow tie, with an “I’m Not Screwing Around Here” style pompadour. In short, she looked badass. The way the crowd of students exploded into cheers upon announcement of her winning? The <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">most </i>badass. If you didn’t tear up a bit, you’re a little dead inside.</span></div><div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.5em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When she was announced as homecoming queen, everyone cheered, but people weren’t always so accepting of Swartz-Larson. “They were weirded out by it and (for) some of them there was hate behind it”, the dark horse said. She <a target="_blank" href="http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/mckinney/headlines/20141004-mckinney-high-school-names-lesbian-student-homecoming-queen.ece" style="box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word; background-position: 0px 0px;">recalls</a>, “It was pretty hard when I first came out. Everyone’s kind of grown up a little bit, and they’ve seen I’m the same person.”</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.5em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In fact, her parents were initially concerned by her nomination. Her dad says, “First, I was nervous because I was afraid someone was playing a joke on her.” Thankfully, it was not a nightmare <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Carrie </i>situation. (By the way, I <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">still</i> don’t get why all the kids hated Carrie. She had great style. You know, before she was covered in pigs’ blood. Aside from that, she was one eyebrow pencil away from being an <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">ANTM </i>contestant.)</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.5em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I went to a small <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bustle.com/articles/20693-whats-it-like-to-go-to-an-all-girls-school-25-things-only-we-alumnae-understand" style="box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word; transition: color 0.15s linear; -webkit-transition: color 0.15s linear; background-position: 0px 0px;">all-girls high school</a>, so I never experienced the homecoming queen thing, as a participant or otherwise. There are quite a few “big high school moments” that I sort of missed because of this, and yet, even I can appreciate this story. You know how some stories make you weep for humanity? This makes me do the opposite. You go, April Swartz-Larson. And you go, McKinney students. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.5em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">High fives for everyone involved, especially her friend, Emilee Swim, who nominated Swartz-Larson, because, “she’s the kindest person I know.” Here they are posing together before the Big Night:</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.5em 0px;"><img src="cid:AD632624-DCFA-45F1-BAF6-1068F8AC2603" alt="image1.jpeg" id="AD632624-DCFA-45F1-BAF6-1068F8AC2603"></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1.5em 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Swim lead a campaign for her friend that involved colorful fliers posted around the school, and pro-April tweets on Twitter. Many students picked up on the tweets, sometimes adding “#VoteForApril” – the campaign took off from there.</span></p></div><div>---------------------------------------<br><br><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</span></div><div><a href="http://www.moscowcares.com/" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000">http://www.MoscowCares.com</font></a></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>