Male student wearing dress denied entrance to prom

Jet, June 12, 2006

A male student who has worn women's clothes to an Indiana high school all year was turned away from the high school prom because he was wearing a dress.

Kevin Logan, 18, went to Gary's West Side High School's prom held in nearby Hobart, IN, in a slinky fuchsia gown and heels. The student believes officials discriminated against him by not allowing him inside.

"I have no formal pictures, no memories, nothing. You only have one prom," Logan said.

Logan, who is gay, received an $85 refund for his prom ticket but was not satisfied. Logan is considering filing a complaint with the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana and possible litigation.

Sylvester Rowan, assistant to Gary Schools Superintendent Mary Steele, said school policy bans males from wearing dresses. Excluding Logan from prom was based on "the dress code, not the student's homosexuality. That's his personal preference."

Ken Falk, the ACLU of Indiana legal director, said Logan's First Amendment rights were violated. "All students have First Amendment rights of freedom of expression."

Logan said he had spent years defining and exploring his sexuality.

"Last year, I could not be myself," Logan said.

This year, Logan took a major step by dressing as a female every day, wearing makeup, a hair weave, nails and girls' fitted jeans to school.

Logan's mother, Donnetta Logan, said she was not surprised by what she called the ignorance of school administrators.

"I tell Kevin that in society there will be those who accept him and those who won't."