Teenager wins prom king while wearing a dress
(adamgregoryartistry/instagram)
A teenager who ran for prom king in a dress has won the crown.
Adam Bell, 18, took the title at Powdersville High School in South Carolina, and he did it with a landslide victory.
His fellow students handed him 49 percent of the vote – in full knowledge that he would wear a dress to prom.
(adamgregoryartistry/instagram)
Bell, who is openly gay, said it was only natural that he would come to prom in drag, adding that “my school has been so supportive the whole time.”
“They’ve seen it on a daily basis from me so it was nothing new to them,” he said.
The teenager, an honour student with thousands of followers on Instagram, faced backlash from angry parents, whose avalanche of comments led to the school’s Facebook page being temporarily taken down.
(adamgregoryartistry/instagram)
One dissenter wrote: “My heart is breaking to see what is happening to our children and young people. Society and our schools have brainwashed our kids.”
Another said: “Was this a joke or for real?”
“It looks like the northern end of the county has leaped off the cliff of sanity,” said one person.
(adamgregoryartistry/instagram)
Another wrote: “The prom king and queen is an institution and has been part of the school curriculum for a very long time,” before using a slur.
“Sheman made a mockery of the entire concept, so why not have two queens that would have been appropriate,” they said.
But when it came to Bell’s fellow students, his popularity wasn’t in doubt.
(adamgregoryartistry/instagram)
Speaking to local TV station WSPA, he said that “the kids were actually the ones standing up to the adults and being more supportive than ever.”
“I greatly appreciate all my friends and even people I haven’t even talked to at the school who were standing up to the adults and even their own parents who would comment.”
Bell said this is not the first time he has worn a dress to a school function.
(adamgregoryartistry/instagram)
“Wearing a dress is like my version of dressing up like most guys version is wearing a tux and mine is more feminine,” he explained.
And, the prom king added, the hate would not stop him from being proudly himself.
“For every one negative comment, I was responding back to seven positive comments,” he said.
(adamgregoryartistry/instagram)
“I never responded back to any of the negative ones.”
Bell added: “Pretty much do anything you want, as long as it’s not hurting someone else.
“As long as you’re expressing your true self and it’s not harming anyone else, go for it.”
Graduation is at the end of May, and Bell said he had no fear about coming in a dress.
So he’s fearless as well as flawless.
