John Muir Senior Sets His Sights on Becoming Prom Queen

[Editor’s Note:  A number of readers have questioned Pasadena Now’s use of the pronoun “he” and noun “boy” in reference to Carlos. We want to clarify that Carlos used those descriptions in communications with us, and out of respect to his wishes we used them as well.]

 

Carlos Carrillo, an 18 year-old senior at John Muir High School, has dreams like any other young person. But Carrillo’s dreams, though very different than most, might be a little braver.

Carlos, who prefers to be called “Karleee G,” doesn’t want to be a fireman or an astronaut. He wants to be this year’s prom queen.

As Carrillo, who is transgender, told Pasadena Now in an introductory e-mail, “I really want [your] support because I want this to happen, this being my dream since freshman year, and I’m transitioning to a female and I want to [tell] this message to everybody.”

“I’ll be … running towards that crown,” he continued, “and I’m actually feeling really great that I’m coming out and transitioning into a female.”

This year’s prom is scheduled to be held in Burbank at The Castaway on April 21.

As the nation has debated the transgender bathroom issue over the last year, and the State of North Carolina recently rescinded its so-called “Bathroom Law” (after losing millions of dollars in cancelled events and conventions), the Pasadena Unified School District will allow Karleee to run.

In a statement regarding Karleee’s entry, the School District reiterated its non-discriminatory student policy, which reads, “The Pasadena Unified School District ‘is committed to providing equal opportunity for all individuals in education.’ District programs, activities, and practices shall be free from unlawful discrimination, including discrimination against an individual or group based on race, color, ancestry, nationality, national origin, ethnic group identification, age, religion, marital, pregnancy, or parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, or genetic information; a perception of one or more of such characteristics; or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.”

The same policy is stated in two other sections of the school code— Board Policy 5145.3 and Administrative Regulation 5145.3.

Carrillo said he decided to start transitioning into a woman last year and is preparing for what could be an expensive and long process before finally making the physical change, which he says could take him about five years.

“We are going through this process, and no matter what, we need to be equally the same, and I’m pretty sure we deserve the same as a woman,” Carrillo said.

This will not be the first case of a boy running for a role traditionally held by females. In other states, boys have actually won the title of Prom Queen, including Corey Rae of New Jersey who became the country’s first transgender prom queen in 2010. In 2011, Andrew Viveros won over 14 girls as Prom Queen at the McFatter Technical High School in Davie, Florida.

A Pasadena Unified spokesperson also said this is not the first time a boy has run for Prom Queen in Pasadena.

“I just want to let people know that this can be a good event that could encourage more people that they can come out and have the courage to do it,” Carrillo said. “And I just want to show them that anybody can do it.”