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Discussion: High school cancels valedictorian's speech because he is gay
Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 3,540
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Quote:
Originally posted by Javan
Misleading title. They didn't cancel it. He cancelled because he's egotistical and wanted the graduation to revolve around him. There is a time and a place. This isn't 90210.
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i actually agree. What does being gay have to do with graduating high school? im not saying they werent being discriminatory but they had issues with several areas of his speech and he changed all of them because he wanted to play ball, except when it comes to keeping his sexuality out of it. seems like it was his choice to walk away from the opportunity so its not the school's fault.
and the part about outing him to his parents ... i think it was wrong to involve them in the first place but if he had gone ahead with the speech he would have told them he was gay in front of the entire school anyway so.....
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Member Since: 3/6/2011
Posts: 6,127
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Quote:
Originally posted by Javan
Misleading title. They didn't cancel it. He cancelled because he's egotistical and wanted the graduation to revolve around him. There is a time and a place. This isn't 90210.
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True.
Whites stay trying to make themselves feel special
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 1,153
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Member Since: 5/19/2011
Posts: 34,328
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“I’d told him I’m not going to remove the part where I say I’m gay, because I am. It’s important to me,” said Young.
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Member Since: 8/18/2013
Posts: 21,558
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I find it so cheesy when gays wanna come out during speeches
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Member Since: 4/4/2014
Posts: 17,141
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Quote:
Originally posted by h.u.r.r.i.c.a.n.e
Because revealing you're gay in a place which is obviously homophobic is glorifying yourself?
I FAIL to see how this is different from talking about another personal matter like being homeless (which someone did recently). Also the news article said it was only a line or two that referred to his sexuality as part of an overarching theme to demonstrate the importance of respecting each other. Y'all are kinda trash for assuming he's done drama queen when he's obviously extremely hard working.
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Exactly.
There are so many gays that don't know when they should come out (and probably a lot posted in this thread too). This was probably when he thought he could do it and have it all prepared and know exactly what he wanted to say.
The school is absolutely vile for outing him.
And as someone else said, there was a graduation where someone proposed. So if it's meant to be not making it about yourself, why did that school not stop the proposal, but this one won't let him include his coming out?
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 14,942
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Agree with the administration. Your high school commencement ceremony is not the time to make a bold declaration about yourself. You're suppose to be representing your graduating class. It seems he wanted the focus to be on him, as is being #1 wasn't good enough. It's tacky. There's nothing wrong with coming out, but when you were going to do it in a way that your loved ones would find out the same time as a bunch of strangers and people who you probably never interacted with before is just...Like wow, at least let your parents know what's going on since you want to be so brave as to announce it in front of others.
There is a time and place for everything and this simply wasn't it.
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Member Since: 1/2/2014
Posts: 18,263
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Why come out on a graduation? It's not HIS event. It's everyone's. I don't think it's the proper venue.
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Member Since: 7/4/2007
Posts: 24,859
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He gave his speech on the Nightly Show...
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 3/22/2012
Posts: 53,769
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It's ****ing stupid to agree with the school's actions and I'm not sorry. **** you if you think a kid can't mention that on his speech; **** you if you don't think he has the right to address his experience in high school and HOW he is representative of his class. If you don't side with the kid, you just don't get it.
"It's not about him!" Yes it ****ing is, he's the valedictorian - not you or anyone else in the class. He should represent the class, but he's also inherently exceptional within the class. "It's not the time and place!" So it's shameful to disclose it in a venue in which there are a lot of people? It's shameful to address a core part of one's being when they were chosen because of their own merit to speak?
If a straight kid mentioned a girlfriend or boyfriend in a speech, nobody would blink. Straight kids have PROPOSED at graduation and nobody gave a damn. But mentioning that you're gay is out of place, self-centered? Miss me with that bull.
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Member Since: 2/20/2012
Posts: 24,225
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Quote:
Originally posted by Jety92
“I’d told him I’m not going to remove the part where I say I’m gay, because I am. It’s important to me,” said Young.
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Ew.
Quote:
Originally posted by RihannaRTT
Exactly.
There are so many gays that don't know when they should come out (and probably a lot posted in this thread too). This was probably when he thought he could do it and have it all prepared and know exactly what he wanted to say.
The school is absolutely vile for outing him.
And as someone else said, there was a graduation where someone proposed. So if it's meant to be not making it about yourself, why did that school not stop the proposal, but this one won't let him include his coming out?
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Because a coming out is more controversial than a marriage proposal.
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Member Since: 2/20/2012
Posts: 24,225
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Quote:
Originally posted by Retro
It's ****ing stupid to agree with the school's actions and I'm not sorry. **** you if you think a kid can't mention that on his speech; **** you if you don't think he has the right to address his experience in high school and HOW he is representative of his class. If you don't side with the kid, you just don't get it.
"It's not about him!" Yes it ****ing is, he's the valedictorian - not you or anyone else in the class. He should represent the class, but he's also inherently exceptional within the class. "It's not the time and place!" So it's shameful to disclose it in a venue in which there are a lot of people? It's shameful to address a core part of one's being when they were chosen because of their own merit to speak?
If a straight kid mentioned a girlfriend or boyfriend in a speech, nobody would blink. Straight kids have PROPOSED at graduation and nobody gave a damn. But mentioning that you're gay is out of place, self-centered? Miss me with that bull.
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I agree mostly, but if he thinks that's a "core" part of his being, that's pretty sad.
Personally, my blue eyes are a more important trait to me than my damn sexuality. But maybe that's just me.
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 3/22/2012
Posts: 53,769
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Quote:
Originally posted by chilicheese01
I agree mostly, but if he thinks that's a "core" part of his being, that's pretty sad.
Personally, my blue eyes are a more important trait to me than my damn sexuality. But maybe that's just me.
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I mean, that's different for everyone, but he clearly values it as a part of his self-identity if he's tryin to do this. He's been disallowed from being open about it his whole life and it's understandable that he sees it as an important part of himself that he wants to express in this speech.
And plus, remember - he's young and probably hasn't told many people or anyone yet. He's not used to it yet. With time it will become less a defining characteristic and more just another trait, but he has to be allowed to get there.
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 8/1/2012
Posts: 15,668
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What the the ****
If I were him I'd have turned in a safe speech to get approval then give my speech at the actual thing.
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Member Since: 2/17/2012
Posts: 8,023
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Quote:
Originally posted by Ari Auris
What the the ****
If I were him I'd have turned in a safe speech to get approval then give my speech at the actual thing.
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nnnn me 2
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Member Since: 7/4/2007
Posts: 24,859
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Quote:
Originally posted by chilicheese01
I agree mostly, but if he thinks that's a "core" part of his being, that's pretty sad.
Personally, my blue eyes are a more important trait to me than my damn sexuality. But maybe that's just me.
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Wait, how exactly does having blue eyes affect your life?
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Member Since: 1/1/2013
Posts: 17,232
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Quote:
Originally posted by Fireman25
Adding insult to injury, the principal also called Young’s parents to let them know about the problem with the speech, and in doing so outed the 18-year-old to his mother and father.
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Disgusting
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Member Since: 3/7/2011
Posts: 8,251
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Good, it'd be inappropriate for anyone, gay or straight, to make anything regarding sexuality a talking point in a graduation speech. Corny af
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 3/22/2012
Posts: 53,769
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Quote:
Originally posted by hairofglory
Good, it'd be inappropriate for anyone, gay or straight, to make anything regarding sexuality a talking point in a graduation speech. Corny af
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Care to explain why? It's not exactly irrelevant to high school, especially his own experience. Kinda don't think you're making any sense.
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Banned
Member Since: 2/25/2012
Posts: 5,503
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I need the full speech to leak so I can read it. I'm not making any statements otherwise.
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