As much as I wanted to resist, I figured, “Why not start the weekend on a light note?” I can’t help but share the AP story of Ryan Allen, a senior at George Mason University. Actually, this story is more about Reann Ballslee, Ryan’s drag alter ego, who was named Homecoming Queen — Ms. Mason — this past weekend.
Reann Ballslee waving to the crowd. (Photo in The Washington Post by Teddy Meyer - Broadside)
The color commentary piece in The Washington Post is good, and describes it as thus:
Allen is now — as of halftime at Saturday’s sold-out basketball game against Northeastern at the Patriot Center — the school’s homecoming queen. He received more votes than the two women who vied for the crown.
Allen, who is gay and performs as a popular drag queen at local clubs, assumed the title of Ms. Mason. He was wearing a green-and-gold bow, sewn for him by the theater department costume’s shop, that was visible even from the cheap seats, a sequined top, a black skirt and heels. Ricky Malebranche, a junior from Woodbridge, was named Mr. Mason.
But, of course, there’s always an asshole:
But electing a dude as homecoming queen is not the way to bolster pride, sophomore Grant Bollinger said. Mason was recently named the No. 1 national university to watch by U.S. News & World Report, he said — it should act like it.
“It’s really annoying,” said Bollinger, who works as an ambassador for the admissions office. “The game was on TV. Everyone was there. All eyes were on us. And we do something like this? It’s just stupid.”
Grant, congratulations, you’ve done the worst job of promoting your school that I can imagine. In Keith Olbermann’s lingo, “You’re today’s worst person in the world.” I wonder if he’ll be working as an ambassador next week?
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Chris Geidner is the award-winning senior political editor at D.C.'s Metro Weekly and has written for The Atlantic Online, The American Prospect, Advocate.com, Salon and other publications, as well as at his blog, Law Dork. In 2011, he received the Excellence in News Writing Award from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association for his coverage of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal. Prior to moving to D.C. in 2009, he served as an attorney on the senior staff at the Ohio Attorney General's Office and had earlier worked for a leading Columbus law firm. An extended biography can be found