As November draws to a close, so does Homecoming season. Sweaters are out of the Target bins and the pep-band schedules have been posted. As homecoming is a fun-loving event for many, it’s stressfully sad for others. I’m talking to you, seniors. The end-all-bee-all of popularity contests has arrived: Homecoming election.
You know, I have a bone to pick with Homecoming Queen standards. What does homecoming even mean and why does everyone hate it so much? What is it about the Homecoming Queen everyone “hates” and how are we going to change this? If there’s one thing that deserves hate, it’s popularity shaming. I think it’s time we have another Wendy Woo: Homecoming Warrior-kind-of-movie to show that there can be more done with this now meaningless title for an obviously meaningful girl.
Instead of ripping on Emily Osment’s song “I Hate the Homecoming Queen” for the common misjudgment of the born-evil queen-bee, I’m going to recognize the illegitimacy of the stereotype with examples of real homecoming queens.
1. Eliza Krans, Eastern Alamance High School’s Varsity Football Kicker and only girl on the team. “At the homecoming game, Krans switched into her homecoming gown for the ceremony to get her crown. After the crowning, Krans got back into her helmet and back on the field to kick an extra point.”
2. Anahi Alvarez, vowed alongside her also nominated friend, Naomi Martinez, to refute a cruel prank created by their high-school mean girls by awarding the Grand Prairie High School homecoming crown to Lillian Skinner, their best friend, and target of the cruel prank.
3. Meryl Streep. (My girl, yes!) Has done so much for equalization of women’s rights, including her role in Suffragette. She’s a national woman treasure as she conveys beautifully in her 2010 Barnard College Commencement Speech.
As a homecoming queen myself, I want to ask the reading public something. What makes a homecoming queen and why haven’t we broken the negatively vulnerable connotation that comes with “Homecoming Queen?” Some may define it as “a girl chosen by her fellow students, usually someone who is active in the school and a model of school spirit.” So why on earth do we have movies still degrading the title as it were something not worth honoring or respecting?
Find the girl willing to be different and willing to stand for the school. Find a real role model. Get your voting hands dirty and look into the “freaks and band geeks.” So, this homecoming season, I encourage you to pick the girl who wears the pants for the school, besides, queens can wear jeans too.
