Pride and prejudice

Parents outraged by LGBTQ page in high school yearbook

Ealier this month, several parents were furious and disgusted to discover a yearbook page dedicated to Atasocita High School’s LGBTQ students.

In order to be more inclusive, yearbook editors profiled four queer youngsters, who shared their experiences coming out over a rainbow-hued background.

Now, irate parents have been writing into Atascocita.com to threaten and insult the yearbook’s Editor-in-Chief, recent graduate Kyle Armour.

“People were saying he was dumb, not smart, that I should not be proud of who he is,” said Kyle’s mom, Kimblerly Hicks Armour.

Related: Youth group uses disturbing transphobic message to advertise on Facebook

“I’m very proud of who he is. He did take a stand and make something diverse for the community and to our school,” she told the Houston Chronicle

One user named SteelerNation argued the section was insulting, and that LGBTQ students were “jamming their crap down our throats!”

“We can’t pray in school,” lynnsgirl said, “but now we have a section strictly dedicated to the gay community explaining how, when and why they came ‘out.’ I’m honestly disgusted and embarrassed.”

Natalie Mendoza is one of the students featured on the yearbook page, and she’s upset by parents’ comments. Users were critical of both her coming out story and her chosen quote: “I can turn your girl.”

“My friends know my sexual orientation and love and respect me regardless,” she said. “There was many immature and ridiculous jokes, but mine… stood out due to my sexual orientation.”

Parents also took issue with a student whose quote was “Viva Mexico.”

“Hope they self-deport,” SteelerNation wrote. “That crap does not belong in a USA yearbook.”

Students posted their angry rants to Twitter, condemning parents for hiding under a cloak of anonymity to spout their rhetoric.

A spokesperson for Humble Independent School District said the yearbook should have been more “thoroughly vetted prior to publication.”

h/t: NewNowNext

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