A group of Indiana-based parents, teens and even a teacher is fighting for a separate "traditional" prom that would ban gay students.
As NBC 2/My Wabash Valley is reporting, special education teacher Diana Medley is defending a group of Sullivan High School students who are arguing in favor of the alternate prom.
"Homosexual students come to me with their problems, and I don't agree with them, but I care about them," Medley told the news station. "It's the same thing with my special needs kids; I think God puts everyone in our lives for a reason."
When asked whether or not gay people have a "purpose" in life, Medley added, "No, I honestly don't. Sorry, but I don't ... A gay person isn't going to come up and make some change unless it's to realize that it was a choice and they're choosing God."
Medley was just one of several parents, students and others who reportedly met Feb. 10 at the Sullivan First Christian Church demanding that gay students be barred from attending the dance. "We want to make the public see that we love the homosexuals, but we don't think it's right nor should it be accepted," one local student is quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, a Facebook page, "Support The Sullivan High School Prom For All Students," has sprung up in defense of the school's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender student body. At present, the page has over 1,000 likes.
Among those to sound off on the news is LGBT activist Dan Savage, who wrote in his blog:
"There's no way to stop the haters at Sullivan High School from holding an independent prom for the special bigoted kids. But here's what we can do: we can make a noise so loud enough that all the queer kids at Sullivan High School hear it. Those kids need to know that there are people -- a lot of people -- who think this sh*t is wrong."
In 2010, a Mississippi-based lesbian teen was awarded $35,000 after her high school opted to cancel its prom rather than permitting her to attend the dance with her girlfriend.
Eighteen-year-old Constance McMillen told the Associated Press, "I knew it was a good cause, but sometimes it really got to me. I knew it would change things for others in the future and I kept going and I kept pushing."
Take a look at our slideshow of LGBT prom couples below:
