Huntington Beach’s Marina High School has crowned a transgender homecoming queen. Cassidy Lynn Campbell was in tears when she realized that it was she who had been crowned homecoming queen. The Marina High senior was born male, but had always felt like a female, according to the LA Times. In high school she began taking hormone blockers and estrogen injections and started living as a girl.
The initial thought of running for homecoming queens was just as a joke. Before the election for the homecoming queens, Cassidy decided to take part. “If I win it would mean that the school recognizes me as the gender I always felt I was,” Cassidy commented before the election. She realized that the community of LGBT and transgendered teens and adults around the country would be largely affected. This is “bigger than me,” she said, “I’m doing this for the kids who can’t be themselves.”
Friday evening, at the pep rally at Marina High school, the homecoming queen candidates were only five. Cassidy had made the cut and was among the winning choices. The finalists were called and balloons were released in white for the princesses and yellow and blue for the queen.
Cassidy Lynn was announced as the homecoming queen and she was stunned and in tears. The Queen was still as tears spilled from her eyes in disbelief. School district spokesman Tom Delapp commented on the situation. “She kind of broke down on the podium. She cried a lot.” Students chanted her name and crowded around to hug the newly crowned homecoming queen.
Cassidy later told reporters, “I was so proud to win, not just for me but for everyone out there. I think t really shows the progression of the times.” She continues to say that this is a [small step for her, but is] “a huge step for the transgender community.”