Jas Cruzada
When Evan Young finished High School with a 4.5 grade point average and class valedictorian honors, he prepared a speech that he was supposed to deliver on their big day at the Twin Peaks Charter Acadamey High School in Longmont, Colorado. The graduation ceremony was on May 16, 2015.
But due to the content of his speech, school principal B.J. Buchmann barred the graduating student from delivering it. Why? Because as a part of his speech, he was planning on outing himself as gay.
School administration found it inappropriate. They said so because it “included references to personal matters of a sexual nature.” And as if the humiliation Young got for being banned from delivering the speech was not enough, the school principal took the initiative to deliberately out him to his parents– without his knowledge.
It was unfortunate that Young attended a school where the head of the institute has issues about sexual preference. The same thing happened to Roaring Fork High School in Carbondale, also in Colorado, but the turn of the events were drastically different. Because when Valedictorian Emily Bruell came out publicly about her being gay through her graduation speech, she received a standing ovation. And not only that, she got the approval and full support of the school head, Prinicipal Drew Adams, who actually contradicted the actions of Buchmann.
For someone who has worked hard to graduate with flying colors, it could be very painful not to be able to share your experience with colleagues and schoolmates. Evan Young only wanted to share the lessons he has learned during his high school years. But just because he was not accepted by that community, this important moment was taken away from him.
But while Young may have been prevented from delivering his speech at school, it reached “The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore” and the awesome (and hilarious) speech was aired throughout the entire US and other countries.
Here are some parts of his speech:
“..my biggest secret of all: I am gay. I understand this might be offensive to some people but it’s who I am. When I was writing this speech I was endlessly debating with myself whether I should reveal this on account of how divisive an issue this is and how gay people tend to be stereotyped and I thought that if I did, I should repeatedly apologize and beg you guys not to think any differently of me. But then I realized, I don’t have to. I shouldn’t have to. If there’s one thing I learned at this school, it’s that we can still be friends even if we profoundly disagree with each other.”
Watch the video of his inspiring speech below.
Feature Photo Credit: salon.com
