As they prepared to attend their first prom together last year, boyfriends Pedro Reyes and Evan McKenna faced both homophobes and allies in their rural community of Morristown, Tennessee. Now they’re sharing their story in solidarity with other LGBTQ+ youth.
As Reyes writes in an Outsports essay, he met McKenna in 2015 when the then-sophomore introduced himself to Reyes, a freshman, at cross country practice: “A tall, clumsy boy stumbled over to me, saying, ‘Hi, I’m Evan! Want to run with me?’ In that moment, I knew that this was the boy for me.”
Related: Adam Bell and these high school pioneers are proudly changing prom rules forever
Reyes held his torch for McKenna for two years while McKenna figured out his own feelings, and the couple finally started dating in the autumn of Reyes’ junior year. Around the same the time, though, a homophobic hate group proposed a symbolic resolution to ban same-sex marriage in Morristown. Mercifully, the resolution failed, but it was that kind of experience that gave Reyes pause when he and McKenna went to pick up boutonnieres from a local florist.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
“She asked, ‘What color will your dates be wearing?’” Reyes recalls. “We hesitantly answered that we were each other’s dates. A moment of lingering suspense filled the room before she exclaimed with a smile, ‘Great! How can I help you?’”
Related: A high school student is hosting the first pride festival in Mike Pence’s hometown
A photographer named Eric McKinley, whom Reyes says is a part of the LGBTQ+ community himself, happened to overhear the exchange and offered to take the couple’s prom photos for free.
These days, Reyes is finishing his senior year in high school while McKenna studies pre-med at Notre Dame. “Things have changed for the better in our community, but unfortunately we are still fighting to this day, and we will continue to keep fighting for not only ourselves, but the rest of our community,” Reyes writes. “Even though Evan and I live 410 miles apart now, every time he comes home, we make time to run together.”
“We didn’t plan to become activists but after experiencing how hard it was growing up in the South, we knew that we need to tell our story,” he adds. “I’ve been blessed with a platform that has allowed me to tell my story. Growing up in Morristown I felt disconnected and alone. I want no other teen to feel that way.”
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
How the hell did this happen????
A sweet, positive, uplifting thread on Queerty?? These kids are amazing!
Good on them!
MacAdvisor
They aren’t going to become activists? No, they already are. What do they think being out, buying boutonnieres together in a small Southern town is but activists. Activists take action, they took action. I wish them a long and happy life together.
Terrycloth
The 410 miles that seperate them may become problematic. Heres hoping they find a way to shorten that gap or get together for good..long distance relationships are the hardest to maintain…i wish them the best…heres to the future !
.
Kangol
So happy for them! Their courage and love for each other are beautiful to see, and they may not think of themselves as activists, but they are, in the best way, just by being themselves and not succumbing to the fearful homophobes around them.
Tombear
My happy news story for the day. It was so much fun for me to be young and in love. The only problem I have with my husband is he farts in bed!
Doxies
Didn’t your husband’s mother tell you that he farted in bed BEFORE he married you? ?
surfpenis
Great for them! 🙂 I hope we will be able to get a follow-up story in a few months or years. This is happy uplifting news in an otherwise ocean full of shiite right now.
Chipper
Congratulations, to both. They are making a difference. Great job guys.