Crowning moment
Roosevelt prom queen a transgender pioneer.
By Diana Marcum / The Fresno Bee
05/13/07 06:05:54
The silver tiara matched his silver stilettos when Johnny Vera was named prom queen Saturday night at Roosevelt High School.
He's the first transgender prom queen in Fresno -- and possibly anywhere.
Vera's win probably didn't surprise anyone who had seen the prom queen candidates' speeches Friday in the quad during lunch. Vera, effeminate and towering in heels, had wrapped his manicured nails around the microphone.
"For me, it's about more than a crown. It's about saying to people, 'Come out and be who you want to be,' " Vera said. A crowded, urban high school scene paused to listen. "You have to say, 'I am who I am, and I'm proud of who I am. My spirit will never be down on the floor.'"
"Things are the way things are until someone changes it," Vera said. "I started seeing that someone has to be first."
At football games when he's on the cheerleading squad, the crowd regularly chants, "Johnny, Johnny, Johnny."
"This person is amazing. He lights up everybody around him," Sosa said. "He always has a genuine compliment for everyone. Especially the shy kids. But he never sugarcoats anything. Johnny carries himself with a lot of dignity. And Johnny is so darn assertive. No one messes with Johnny."
The administration of Roosevelt High School had no problems with Vera running for prom queen.
"It's not our job to judge. We don't allow discrimination in any form here," said Vice Principal Ovidio Martinez.
"He's well-known. He stands out. He's 6-foot-4 in heels."
On Saturday night, he was prom queen.
Prom King and Queen are decided by the student body. It's very PC to be pro-GLBT these days, so the mere fact that he ran at all almost guaranteed a swift success in 2007. While this is not surprising, I do find it to be a confident step forward in gay rights. He is a very brave cheeseburger.
Prom King and Queen are decided by the student body. It's very PC to be pro-GLBT these days, so the mere fact that he ran at all almost guaranteed a swift success in 2007. While this is not surprising, I do find it to be a confident step forward in gay rights. He is a very brave cheeseburger.
Best cheeseburger evar.So thats what TVC looks like in drag? :-* The KNIFE :-* :-*
The half blasian chick could get it.