This Wouldn't Happen at Florida

Just another Homecoming at the nation's second oldest university.

For Jessee Vasold ’11, the first transgender person elected as a class homecoming queen at the College of William and Mary, the day’s events were not anything too out of the ordinary.

As a member of the court, Vasold attended the pep rally and parade. Vasold was presented at the football game during halftime.

“It was pretty normal,” Vasold said. “The only difference I feel like from anyone else was that after halftime, a reporter wanted to talk to me.”

Vasold’s selection was only the third time that a transgender person has won the title of homecoming king or queen at an institute of higher education in the United States.

Thomas Jefferson wore a wig, people. There's nothing to see here. Move along. Though the College's first TJ might have scratched his bewigged noggin at this passage:

Vasold identifies as gender-queer. According to Vasold, gender-queer is a concept that can be adopted by anyone who feels that they do not fit into traditional gender classification, or anyone who sees the gender binary as an oppressive social institution and wishes to protest against it.

“It’s kind of a political identity, while simultaneously being a gender identity,” Vasold said. “And a lot of times you might see the people … just changing from day-to-day. Some people identify as gender-fluid, so what their gender is may depend on how they dress.”

Apparently, the Embracing Diversity section of Team G:TB's Employee Handbook needs some updating. Gender-queer, huh? Well, 'to each his/her own' has served us pretty well so far. No sense changing now. Rock on, Jessee - I hope the reactionary windbags that chased Gene Nichol from Williamsburg enjoyed your coronation.