HEHS homecoming court to be gender-neutral 

When homecoming season rolls around each year, everyone goes wild. From the glittery outfits to the rigorous advertising, each detail is intricate and executed with precision. Usually, one guy and one girl is nominated for the court, but not this year. This year, the court has been switched completely, and in a world where gender is being explored outside the binary, it brings a wave of change to schools across the nation, especially at Hoffman. 

“Though we only started to incorporate gender neutral terms for homecoming, it’s been happening across the U.S. for years,” said Ryan Brown, Student Council Director. “I thought we were ahead of the game, but many other schools have been doing it for a while now. Either way, it is a positive change.” 

Brown has run the homecoming process for years now, outdoing himself each year in order to make a lasting impact on how the student body enjoys homecoming and the celebrations leading up to the big event. However, now that the court has been changed to gender neutral instead of binary, it will take time for the student body to understand. Luckily, Brown explains it easily for those who may be confused. 

“We began using gender neutral terms last year, but as time went on, we completely removed all gender- related terms,” said Brown. “Instead of a court, we call the seniors nominated ‘Honorees,’ and the two winners are the ‘Highly Esteemed Honorees,’ who are honored by their classmates and the school.”  

The Honorees are chosen by highest honor, which is why the nominees you see advertising include lists of what activities they are representing, ranging from sports to clubs to classes. There are many students who get chosen each year, with the list ranging from 80-100 seniors. Unfortunately, not all seniors get chosen, which makes people question why they didn’t get in. 

“The initial nominees are chosen by being involved in the school, but that’s not the only criteria we have,” explained Brown. “There are other criteria to fill, such as being a senior and being able to represent the school. We like to make sure we put people that represent our values as the honorees.” 

As voting opens up for the entire school, the worry of who will be chosen becomes a forefront for the nominees. But there is no need to worry. You, the students, all choose the right honorees in the end.