Queen Uriel Gomez

It's prom time again.

That means that it's prom controversy time again.

In 2005, Lake Geneva Badger High School student Kerry Lofy was suspended and fined because he went to prom dressed in drag.

Lofy said he thought it would be funny to show up at his senior prom Saturday wearing a dress. Lofy went to the prom with Victor Anderson, a friend. Lofy says the school did not have any problem letting two males attend prom together, but school officials who had heard of Lofy's plan to wear a black dress warned him that he would not be allowed in the dance if he showed up dressed as a woman.

Lofy says he is not gay. He says he agreed to go with Anderson, who is gay, because Anderson is his friend and he wanted to go to the prom but didn't have a date. Anderson confirms this. Lofy concedes that he was uneasy going to prom with another male, and wearing a dress was a way to deflect other people's suspicions.

In 2006, Kevin Logan was denied access to his prom because he wore a pink dress.

A male student who has worn women's clothes to school all year was turned away from his high school prom because he was wearing a dress.

Kevin Logan, 18, went to the West Side High School prom on Friday in a slinky fuchsia gown and heels. He believes officials discriminated against him by not allowing him inside.

This year's prom controversy is a little more complicated than wardrobe choice.

RACINE -- Uriel Gomez didn’t set out to run for prom queen. He’s a young man, and Park High School might not be ready for that.

A star football player in a skirt is one thing. An honor student and thespian in a tiara at prom is something entirely different.

Earlier this week, enough of Gomez’s classmates nominated him to a short list of seniors who might get on the prom court. His name landed on the girls’ side, which meant he could be voted prom queen.

School administrators were less than thrilled by the prospect and wouldn’t let him proceed.

This is Racine, after all, subject of the documentary film “The World’s Best Prom.” The spring formal is serious business in this part of the globe.

Gomez, 18, didn’t expect it. He now finds himself in a strange battle. He wants to be on the ballot and hasn’t heard a good reason why he shouldn’t be included.

If former Park High and current University of Wisconsin football standout John Clay could dress in women’s clothing and win the school’s “Miss Legs,” a homecoming tradition, Gomez and his friends don’t understand why he can’t be prom queen, especially if his classmates vote for him.

“It’s not like I’m forcing myself on the ballot,” Gomez said. “I did it legitimately and I did it fairly.”

...Gomez is going to prom with his friend, Madeline Thompson, a Park graduate. He has a nice suit in mind. He is renting a bus to go to prom with a large group of friends, including Harris, who has stood by his friend’s side for four years.

“Uriel’s not doing this to ruin anybody else’s prom. He’s not doing this to make girls cry,” Harris said. “If anything, he’s doing this to make his prom more memorable.”

So openly gay Gomez plans to dress like a man and his date will be a female. No problem so far.

His classmates voted for him to be on the list of potential female prom court candidates.

Rather than crying harassment and complaining about being demeaned by his fellow students, Gomez is embracing his chance to be prom queen.

He wants to be included on the ballot with the girls. That's a problem.

Gomez is gay. He's not a girl.

Traditionally there is a prom king and queen; a male student and a female student is honored by their classmates.

Call them whatever you want, king or queen or most popular kid, but I do think there should be a male and a female chosen to head prom court.

Like it or not, Gomez is a male. If students want him to be on prom court, let them vote for him to make it as a male.

I don't think he belongs on the girl's side of the ballot.

There's no discrimination. Gomez isn't being kept from attending prom. He's not being kept from being on court. He's being kept from getting there as a girl.

It's not legitimate and it's not fair for him to be considered a female for the voting.

I don't think this is a wise choice of battles by Gomez.

School officials should put him on the ballot with the male students.

If the students want a gay king, terrific.