Thousands Sign Petition to Support Ousted Trans Prom King Nominee

A Georgia high school senior has accused his school of removing him from the prom king ballot because he is trans.

Dex Frier, a 17-year-old senior at Johnson High School in Gainesville, says that after his fellow students nominated him for prom king, school officials removed him from the six-candidate ballot, the Associated Press reports. Frier, who came out as trans during his sophomore year, also says that he was told that he was only eligible to run for prom queen.

"[Being trans is] not a choice," Frier toldThe Gainesville Times.

Administrators deny removing Frier from prom court, claiming that the Hall County School District has never before removed a student from prom or homecoming court.

"I will not respond publicly, in any manner, to a situation that has the potential to single out any student in any way," Hall County Schools Superintendent Will Schofield told the Times. "On a broader note, I am not interested in being responsible for placing our school district in the middle of a national social, societal and legal issue, which would have the potential to substantially disrupt us from our core mission of providing an education for the boys and girls in our community. Prom should be a time for students to fellowship together and celebrate their local school."

A petition urging Johnson High School to add Frier back to prom court has already amassed more than 14,000 signatures. Frier plans to go to prom on Saturday, regardless of the outcome.

"I just want to be with my friends," he told the Times. "I wouldn't want to be surrounded by any other people."

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