A Missouri high school has faced a backlash after crowning a transgender girl homecoming queen – beating four biologically female students.
Tristan Young, 17, was voted the homecoming queen at Oak Park High School in Kansas City, Missouri, following in the steps of Landon Patterson, a transgender who took the title in 2015.
The school has been under fire after it shared photos of Young’s crowning and celebrated her honor on social media.
‘Another reminder to all girls that men make the best women,’ Riley Gaines wrote on X, criticizing Young’s crowning.
Gaines is a former college swimmer against transgender women competing with biologically women on sports.
‘I wonder if a female will win homecoming king or if it’s understood that both of these spots are reserved for males,’ she added.
Tristan Young, 17, was voted the homecoming queen at Oak Park High School in Kansas City, Missouri, beating four biologically female students
The school has been under fire after it shared photos of Young’s crowning and celebrated her honor on social media
Reactions to Young’s crowning are divided on social media platforms as one saying: ‘another reminder to all girls that men make the best women
The advocate also retweeted a comment reading: ‘I’m sure it would be just fine if a girl were crowned homecoming KING.’
Reactions under the school’s social media post were divided, with some came to Young’s defense and congratulated her.
‘We are so proud of you, Tristan! You are a stunning young woman who is going to change the world, and you deserved this win!!’ one wrote.
‘And yes, if grown women really find it necessary to spread hate and bully kids like this, then maybe boys DO make the best girls,’ another posted on Facebook.
Young celebrated her crowning with her family (pictured) as she bursting into tears
Young’s victory marks the second time the high school crowned a transgender
Landon Patterson, former student of the high school won the crown in 2015 a few months after she transitioned from male to female.
Young was photographed bursting into tears when she was crowned.
She later posted photos of her accepting the honor in a violet-colored sparkling gown on her social media.
‘Being nominated and then becoming queen is so much deeper than just surface level,’ Young wrote on Instagram.
‘I have had a very difficult high school journey, but having the support of my friends, family and Oak Park has helped tremendously, I truly don’t know where I would be without it,’ the crowned queen wrote.
‘Tonight I stood on a field with four other amazing women, who are just as deserving of this honor as I am. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience with these women,’ she added.
School officials stressed that Young was voted by her fellow students in the competition.
‘Our students voted for this year’s King and Queen. The role of the school and/or district is to honor students’ voice and decision,’ Susan Hiland, a spokesperson for the district, said in a statement to NBC News.
It’s the second time Oak Park High School has crowned a transgender woman homecoming queen.
Patterson won the crown in 2015 months after she transitioned from male to female.
She spent most of her life identifying as a gay male, but always knew there was something more.
Patterson’s mom, Debbie Hall, was with her daughter every step of the way, including the parade.