RENWL

The American Humanists Association has announced that they will host and pay for an LGBT-friendly prom for Itawamba County Agricultural High School in Mississippi. The school made headlines earlier this week when they cancelled the senior prom rather then permit openly gay student Constance McMillen to bring a same-gender date. The ACLU has a lawsuit already underway against the school’s district.

In response to the prom’s cancellation AHA members Todd and Diana Stiefel made a $20,000 grant available to the AHA for the purpose of holding a prom in Itawamba County, according to an AHA press release. The AHA will be discussing logistics with the pertinent parties today.

“It’s shameful that closed-minded members of the school board are prepared to deprive an entire class of students their prom over their outdated religious mores.” said Roy Speckhardt, Executive Director of the AHA. “People can hold to any belief or no belief in this nation, but the school board misuses their position when they try to impose their beliefs on the student population in Itawamba.”

Humanists and freethinkers have a history of speaking up for the rights of all. The AHA was among the first to support civil rights, equal pay for equal work, and the right of same-sex couples to marry. Recently the AHA launched the LGBT Humanist Council to advance equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their families. (www.lgbthumanists.org).

For more details on this post go to this link:  Atheist Group Offers To Hold Gay Friendly Prom