There was a time not too long ago that coming out in high school meant facing certain doom, and now we’re seeing more and more brave students standing up to speak their truth only to find acceptance from their families, friends and communities. And it’s a beautiful thing.
Related: Straight Teen Asks His Gay Best Friend To Prom
The latest examples are the impossibly sweet prom photos shared by senior Michael Martin and his boyfriend Logan Westrope.
You might remember Michael, the all-state soccer goalie for Musselman High School in West Virginia who also played on the school’s football, tennis and swim teams, from his inspiring coming out story we shared last December.
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Related: High School Jock Comes Out By Slow Dancing With The Homecoming King
Well that was so five months ago, or five years in teenage-time.
Michael’s been dating Logan for four months, and the two seem to have had the gay fairytale prom that so many older LGBT folk could only dream of.
Just try not to beam, we dare you:
“I asked Logan to the prom after his work. I gave him a bag with a chicken sandwich inside and asked, ‘Are you a chicken or will you go to the prom with me?’ ” Michael told OutSports. “He easily and gladly said yes.”
“We knew this would be a night to remember,” Logan said. “We walked in, checked in with our tickets, and were off to have fun! At first we were both a little hesitant to hold hands, not knowing how the rest of the student body would react. But after a short while, we were always next to each other and danced together the whole night.”
“Some of the slow songs we danced to were ‘Stay With Me’ (Sam Smith), ‘See You Again’ (Wiz Khalifa), and ‘All of Me’ (John Legend). At the moment when the slow songs played, we would just stare into each other’s eyes and would think of how lucky we are to have each other.”
“We didn’t hear any negative comments about Michael and I. A lot of people would come up to us (especially the girls) and say, ‘You both are so cute!’ or ‘You guys look great!’ Once we left the prom, I remember Michael saying to me in the car, ‘Logan, this is our last prom and I’m so glad I got to spend it with you.’ I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect night.”
“Most everyone knows that I am gay and for the most part everyone that I work with there accepts me for who I am,” Logan said. “I was extremely nervous to tell my fellow employees but then realized I wasn’t afraid to show the real me.”
h/t OutSports
David Edward Hollis
Congrats guys
David Red
YAY! For them. I hope that they had a great night.
polarisfashion
Good for them!
PS. Anyone having trouble posting comments? It keeps saying I’m posting too fast.
Saint Law
@polarisfashion: First it says “You’re posting too fast” then it says “You already said that.”
It’s like this site is hosted by the most exacting, prissy kween you could ever meet.
Saint Law
Oh and yeah those blokes are 2 cute.
Will Castillo
We the gay people have come such a long ways that’s awesome you guys are cute together
Daveliam
This is a great story! These guys seem sweet and I’m so happy for them that they have been able to have this moment with each other.
Bradley Sharp
aww, that’s cute. I wish i could have done this. Congratulations. It’s a new time!
Mac Daddie
It’s a start… finally a couple “cute enough” to be newsworthy. Ironic that one of the pics has Chic-fil-a in the background, surprised they haven’t already sued to have it removed, being the gay-haters they are… Enjoy the moment, there’s still a long way to go before the bookish nerds in TX can openly go to prom together.
Paul Limandri
We have come a long way…more to come stay tuned!
Desert Boy
Adorable.
Ron King
Look at me I’m in love!
sanfranca1
Absolutely fabulous!
lasandman
Somebody forgot to tell those boys not to eat at Chick-Fil-A.
Damon Robbins
Congrats to them !
Deano Bacon
ah-dorable
Felix Duarte
I sure was beaming. I didn’t get to go to my prom. I’m sure glad we’ve come this far. But, yeah, we have a ways to go still.
Milk
Verklempt!!
Zekester
That was precious. It would have been nice if he had asked him to prom with something other than a Chick-fil-hate sandwich.
Clayton Cain
Prom? How about being the first guy in your army unit to bring a guy to the units military ball.
Christopher M. Youngblood
Alex
William Bryant Jacobs
It’s about time!
Michael Toops
What does being an athlete have to do with this story? Does being an athlete somehow make their date more acceptable or somehow more remarkable?
Malibu Eric
This is so amazing to me, I could not even imagine this during my closeted 1980’s high school years. Makes me very very happy for them and for progress.
NoCagada
And for you young men who get so snarky about older guys, you can thank them and the ugly battles they went through for this.
Mike Davidson
So adorable!
Rushad Thomas
LOVE THIS!!!
Josh447
So sweeet!
Hazelita Fauntroy Hayes
At last.The night of their life without stupid commentary.All the years wasted of not allowing people to be who they are.Congratulations.
Joe Meyer
J Ryan Cantrell ð???
Adrian Lehman-Sizemore
i wish i had that chance to actually go with someone i loved and cared about rather than a friend who spent the who night talking about her girlfriend and now I am here watching it happen in my lifetime, i am grateful to see it but i wish it was me!
mslater
So they are celebrating the freedom to express their sexuality at a Chick-fil-A, which is a known anti-gay establishment. How…ironic. Oh, I will never understand the South!
Timothy Quill
They do look gay……and happy.
Arcamenel
I’m surprised they both have lips.
Andres Burrows-Garibay
my friend Ian Sharp did this too!
Bauhaus
Show us more like this, Queerty!
I spent prom shooting daggers at the “straight” guy I was sleeping with, while he fawned over some tramp (his date), in the hopes he’d get laid. Fun times. Last I heard, he’s divorced, kids, and still trying to get laid.
jwtraveler
@lasandman: @Zekester: @mslater: So they had a chicken sandwich. Let’s revoke their gay credentials. They’re a couple of happy, gay teens in love who are able to celebrate it publicly. Can’t we just be happy for them without critiquing their fast food choice.
Joshua Rightnowar
so sweet i love this Story
Matthew Fischer
I would like to thank all those that have come before us that helped us get to this point. Although there is much work still to be done, it couldn’t have been done without those who petitioned, marched and protested, and advocated for the security and rights we have today so that those just beginning can do so with a sense of pride, inclusion and a sense of normalcy.
Glücklich
Waffle House! Every time I go someplace with a Waffle House I have to eat there, preferably after midnight. Going to Austin Wednesday. Waffle House country. Even got the “Friends Don’t Let Friends Eat Pancakes” t-shirt.
Randy Grasso
I’m sorry, Daniel. You are my friend, but as a friend I have to say that this story saddens me. Those who experience exclusively or predominately same sex attraction bear a burden that I cannot begin to imagine.
Jodie Begaye
ð???
David Houlder
Lovely. So happy for them!
Dwane Deem
If those were my boys I would be so over the moon proud!
Sutex Haron
Blessed them. Ameen
Bauhaus
@Randy Grasso:
I can’t imagine bearing the burden of being a phony anti-gay bigot pig (choice), but that’s just me. Go troll somewhere else, false prophet.
Jacob23
This is f*cking awesome. And the best part is that their prom night was not a media event. Those pics were taken by the guys and their friends, not by journalists. Outsports, which previously covered Martin’s coming out, reported on the prom after the fact. But there were no news cameras or reporters at the prom, breathlessly reporting on it as if it was a shocking event. It was just a regular prom. As it should be.
bobnla
@Jacob23: is it necessary to say f*cking? Is your vocabulary so limited you can’t express yourself otherwise? How sad that word is obviously a major element in your lexicon.
Sluggo2007
@NoCagada: You are so correct, NoCagada!
andy_d
@Randy Grasso: Especially the burdens imposed by people who cannot live and let live – Like YOU!
Billysees
@David Red:
“YAY! For them.”
@Bradley Sharp:
“Congratulations. It’s a new time!”
I couldn’t have said it better. It ‘is’ a new time.
1EqualityUSA
Randy Grasso, what a load. Would you prefer inauthentic people around you, acting straight for your comfort? What a sanctimonious ass.
Boys, I’m so happy for you. Live true blue.
Bauhaus
@bobnla:
“is it necessary to say f*cking?”
No, you silly priss, but it sure is apt.
Daggerman
….so many responses, it looks like they definitely have it…..bless their wonderful love for each other…they do appear so happy and seem fresh, young and full of cum!!
stanhope
What a truly wonderful story though I winced a little bit with Chick-fil-A in the background. I hope they cherish these memories and document them well. It is my one regret that I didn’t as this sort of love often doesn’t last but that doesn’t diminish it’s beauty. Best of luck to them both.
stanhope
@mslater: Ya know, you just had to spoil it didn’t you? How was your prom or did you go?
bobnla
really Jacob? apt? If you feel so good about the word f*cking, next time, show your colors and comfort level by removing the *
Fvk847
I’m so jealous of this; I had the worst high school experience and this makes me wish I had this. Congrats guys.
Trevor Hehn
Hell
Billy Budd
Cute boys. I envy them.
Keith St John
Good for them! I hope they are truly able to appreciate how far we have come.
Rob Moore
What happened to the first boyfriend, Jem?
Curty
Wow that was sweet. Too bad at my prom I took a very good female friend. I was very closeted in 2003. My bf and I took female dates.
M K
Just wait until one decides it’s over and then next will be the charge of statutory rape.
animatedgifman
@Mac Daddie: You’re likely right about Chick-Fil-A fuming over the prom proposition photo. Willam Belli, Detox and Vickie sure reamed those Fundy-fascists a new arsehole three years ago, LOL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO-msplukrw
🙂
Gerrie Smith
Awesome !!
Nikolaos Axas
Amazing!
Alex Galbraith
Cute couple.
Mike Scott
Charming, but I don’t really have any sympathy for athletic, handsome, white gay guys who will never be shamed or excluded from an already marginalized community because of the way they look.
Luc Helterbrand
so adorable!
Keith Hunt
bless
WEBOne
I had 2 dates with girls in high school. Jr. prom and senior prom. I’m glad things have changed so much since the mid 70’s.