Out High School Student Gives Rejected Graduation Speech

Last month, Longmont, CO high school senior and class valedictorian at Twin Peaks Academy Evan Young was told by school administrators that he would not be allowed to give a graduation speech where he planned to reveal he was gay. Instead, Young gave his speech last weekend to a wildly supportive crowd at Out Boulder’s garden party and award ceremony. Per the Daily Camera:

A nervous and somewhat reluctant Young donned a cape and gave the speech at an Out Boulder awards ceremony at a private home in Boulder. “I’m gay,” he said to enthusiastic cheers. “That’s what I am.” He went on to say that he shouldn’t have to apologize for who he is, but instead expected his classmates to continue to overlook differences, just as they had in the past with other issues.
“We can still be friends, even if we seriously disagree with each other,” he said before ending his speech with exhortations to hug someone who’s different than you.

Twin Peaks Charter Academy had planned on honoring Young for being class valedictorian and achieving a 4.5 GPA but once the school got wind of the planned content, he was denied the opportunity to give the speech or be honored in any way. The school says Young failed to resubmit his speech with the required edits and was later nixed entirely from the May 16 graduation ceremony. Young’s father, however, claims that his son did make the changes and submitted by the deadline.

The audience’s overwhelming response on Sunday was proof that Young’s story of coming out in high school is still an important one. Twin Peaks physics teacher Dallin Witt, who introduced Young at the event, said that the school’s response shows how rampant homophobia still is. “Evan Young’s story has truly resonated with people,” said Witt, who is leaving the school. “He was not honored before, but now is our chance to do just that.”