A high school student in Columbia, Missouri has just made history by becoming the first-ever male student to win the title of homecoming queen in his state.
CBS affiliate KMTV reports that Zachary Willmore, a senior at Rock Bridge High School, won the distinction, in part, because he choose to run for queen rather than king. Early in October, he posted a poll to his Instagram page asking followers to vote as to whether he should seek the title of king or queen.
“I took a really quick Instagram poll,” Willmore told KOMU 8 News. “They thought queen would look prettier on the sash. I was like, ‘You’re so correct.’ So I chose queen.”
Related: Meet the South Dakota swimmer who pushed back against homophobia to become Homecoming King
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.
This isn’t the first time Willmore has challenged his school’s preconceived notions about gender, either. He has challenged the school dress code on more than one occasion, seeing to wear more femme or abstract outfits.
“Teachers were allowed to make the call of what was appropriate,” Willmore said. “Many times I did feel like they could target students, and I did feel targeted in some scenarios.”
A school official also confirmed that Willmore “has challenged the dress code over his time at Rock Bridge and is working with the school to develop a more up-to-date dress code.”
@zachwillmore Reply to @poopacus thank you guys so much for all the support I’ve received I can’t explain how happy I am tonight? #fyp #queen #homecoming #gay #viral #lgbt
As for his duties as queen, Zachary posted a video to his TikTok account of his big win. It also shows the school cheerleading squad–of which Zachary is a member–rushing the field to congratulate him.
To borrow a phrase: yas, queen.
Prax07
So he just had to wear a gown. FFS.
barryaksarben
From what I remember a homecoming queen always wears a gown. FFS
CatholicXXX
Pre-trans. He’ll come out as trans for his drag race story arch.
nunya
Agreed. If he was truly groundbreaking and wished to smash stereotypes he would have but he would have butched it up a bit or presented as androgynous as “queen.” Just another effeminate gay man bolstering the stereotypical trope straights imagine for gay men.
Hank31
Sad.
barryaksarben
Sad? HOW? You just outed yourself as a straight man trolling this site and what could be sadder than a man (who has zero sex life of his own) sitting in front of his screen for hours to try to harm other people who wouldnt look at him in real life. THAT IS SAD. go away troll. Im happy this guy won and the kids in his school couldnt care less about his sexuality instead of abusing him
cliche guevara
Credit to hank, despite is troll brethren (lumpy and 4skin) having run for the hills he is here. He still isn’t any good at it but is at least giving it the old city college try.
Hank31
@barryaksarben “Straight” refers to a person who is exclusively sexually attracted to the opposite sex. It does not refer to a person who thinks that cross-dressing is sad.
This boy’s cross-dressing — and more so, his belief that he has “won” something by becoming “queen” — is sad. The student has failed at being a boy and wants to recast that as a success. That’s delusional and sad.
cliche guevara
The irony of Hanky calling anyone delusional and sad is delicious. Imagine how sad your life is that you sit around attacking children in a desperate attempt to get some sorry of attention and then when you do it you complexity belly flop.
Openminded
I hope these kids are truly breaking barriers and not just getting voted in by classmates hoping to simply rock the establishment’s boat out of spite. It can really be heartwarming when you see a student body come together for the right reasons to help implement change and open up eyes. Back in my day, a kid this brave wouldn’t have lived to see homecoming in our bible belt town.
JustMuscles1
Congratulations. Change happens when you challenge the status quo and given the chance people change their perceptions and accept diversity is all its forms! Go gurl!
Hank31
He’s not a girl or a “gurl.”
CityguyUSA
I don’t get ir nor do I really care.
cliche guevara
You don’t care but clicked on the article and then took the time to comment? …. I can’t help but get the impression that you do in fact care.
moretruth
He’s not gay, he’s clearly on the trans express.
inbama
It’s the left version of “owning the libs.”
Both accomplish nothing.
Heywood Jablowme
Josh Hawley is probably writing a sternly-worded tweet about it right now!
RyanMBecker
For me, this is not so much a story about Zach, but how much society has changed, even (or especially) in Missouri. The KOMU story linked above shows wide support for him, from both classmates and administrators. In fact, the district has put him in charge of rewriting the dress code. In other words, he’s being rewarded for protesting and being flamboyant. A decade ago, he would’ve been ostracized, suspended and even beaten up.
Another shout-out goes to their local news. Not only did they choose to report this but the KOMU anchor seemed to beam with pride. Either times have changed or my impression of the South was wrong … or most likely, both.
I have a feeling that I’ll bump into him here in NYC. The news reports that he plans to study fashion so NYC is a likely destination. It’s also a place many small town LGBTQ kids fantasize about. The weird thang is that he’ll likely face more discrimination here than in his hometown.
sam83
Agree but Columbia is home to multiple colleges and the University of MO. It’s a progressive city surrounded by a sea of red. Outside of STL and KC I think it might be the only blue confessional district in the state .
IvanPH
So another man took what is for women. SMH
cliche guevara
And I thought Hank’s attempt at trolling was embarrassing. You totally win the trolling failure award for this comment section.
GreekKeys
Someone interview the biological girls who lost out so a guy could take this away from them.
cliche guevara
Uhhhh…. Or you could click through to the source article and see they the girls at his school totally supported him… but you don’t actually care what they think you are just using them a prop in your lame attempt at trolling by attacking children.
Openminded
Why can the haters here not see that this person sees themself as a female, therefore they were victorious in their quest. If they saw themselves as a male, of course they wouldn’t aspire for a position typically considered for females. Just because they were born physically male and you identify them as male doesn’t mean they are “mentally” male. If you had an ounce of reading comprehension, you would realize they had support from a huge portion of the student body. Good for the whole damn school as far as I’m concerned.
Ken A.
@Openminded
He doesn’t see himself as a girl. He would run for king if his poll leaned in that direction but they told him he should run for queen. So he did.
scotty
well, i guess he showed them. well done kiddo keep on showing them.
Hank31
Showed them what? That he has failed as a boy?
cliche guevara
Failed at being a boy? Dear lord, work on coherent thought.
scotty
Missouri being the “show me” state. Right over your head, like most things I’m sure.