Gay Olivehurst Teen Named High School Homecoming Princess
OLIVEHURST (CBS13) - At a time when gay teenagers are too often bullied by their classmates, an entirely different story is playing out at a high school in Olivehurst.
Corina Soto-Gonzalez is a typical 17-year-old teen. She plays basketball, dates and shops. But she says it wasn't always easy being herself.
Maria: Did you think you were going to win?
Corina: I had no idea. No, I didn't know what to expect at all.
The Lindhurst High School junior not only beat out the other girls to be the junior class homecoming princess, she also beat the guys.
"I was really excited that my friends and classmates all voted for me," said Corina.
Instead of voting for a prince and a princess this weekend, high school juniors chose to crown two princesses for homecoming.
"It's an amazing school to be proud of," said Lindhurst High principal Bob Eckhardt.
The act of kindness, the school's principal says, is nothing out of the ordinary for them.
"We don't identify us by colors or trends or those other labels that society has. We are a family," said Eckhardt.
But Corina wasn't always so sure about how her family and friends would take it if she finally told them the truth.
"When I did come out, it was pretty nerve-wracking because I didn't know what to expect," she said.
She was surprised by the response.
"Once I did come out and people showed me that they were supportive and not against any of that at all, it felt really good," she said. "It made me feel comfortable."
Corina says she has her dress, but no date. Her girlfriend lives out of town, so she plans to go to the dance with friends.
This is the second time the school has nominated two homecoming princesses.
