Student fights back after being banned from taking boy to homecoming

A student from Tennessee has launched a campaign after his Catholic school banned him from bringing a boy as his date to its homecoming dance.

Lance Sanderson, a senior at Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, Tennessee, came out in his freshman year and says he was originally told by a supportive staff member that he would allowed to bring a male date to school dances – but that since the teacher in question left this summer, the school’s attitude has changed.

The school has apparently now banned its male student populace from bringing boys as dates “for logistical reasons” – but Lance is fighting back with a change.org petition that has already attracted almost 10,000 signatures and support from How to Get Away with Murder producer Shonda Rimes.

Hey. There's this very nice kid named Lance. And he wants to take his boyfriend to homecoming. Support him: https://t.co/its9a51tvj

— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) September 25, 2015

In an interview with the Memphis Flyer, Lance – who also serves as the school photographer – added that a member of staff had tried to justify the ban by conflating same-sex relationships with violence and domestic abuse.

“I was sitting down talking to one of the current administrators over the summer, and at the end of our conversation, I mentioned it, expecting him to say the same thing. And he had a very different response,” Sanderson said. “He mentioned a [gay] couple in Texas and said I was a lot like this one person and said that the guy’s boyfriend murdered him. It was a little rough.”

The school’s official policy reads: “CBHS students may attend the dance by themselves, with other CBHS students, or with a girl from another school. For logistical reasons, boys from other schools may not attend.”

Launching his petition to change the school’s mind, Lance writes: “One administrator told me that even though some people interpreted Pope Francis’s teachings on the issue as meaning they should support same-sex couples, these people are, ‘not the authority to which Christian Brothers High School is accountable.’ And now my school is making daily announcements across the whole school, saying that students can’t bring same-sex dates from other schools.”

He continues: “It’s been a tough four years for me at Christian Brothers High School and I’ve experienced a lot of homophobia. One time in class we were watching a movie, and a classmate kept referring to one of the main characters as a “fag” at least 17 times in front me.

“But now it’s not classmates causing the issue – it’s administrators. School officials who should be looking out for students like me, not targeting us with discrimination.

“I just want to bring a date of my choice to homecoming like the rest of my friends and classmates. I’m not asking for special treatment. I’m just asking for respect, and the chance to make my last homecoming a truly memorable experience.”

You can sign the petition and help Lance’s voice be heard here.

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