Alums returning to the University of Minnesota for homecoming this year are in for a quite the shock. In a move to reflect more “gender inclusivity,” Minnesota has decided to remove the King and Queen titles from their Homecoming Court.
Instead, the student elected to the Homecoming Court will be referred to as, “Royals.”
Marissa Suitor, Student Advisor for Events and Activities, spoke about what led to the change: “We had noticed that other schools had made a change to make their Homecoming Court more gender neutral.”
Another organizer, Devin Graf, said, “Royal was a nice way to sum up exactly what we’re looking for our Royalty Court. They’re ambassadors of spirit for the University of Minnesota. It’s a really great opportunity and it has nothing to do with gender.”
According to Graf, dropping the titles of King and Queen won’t be the only changes coming to the Homecoming Court. In addition, the ten members of the Homecoming Court will no longer have to five males and five females.
Graf said, “It can be 10 boys, 10 girls, 10 non-binary students, 10 transgender students. Any combination can work.”
According to CBS Minnesota, “The legacy of Homecoming Kings and Queens at the U dates back to 1931 when Marion Sanders was crowned the first Queen.”
University of Minnesota students, binary or otherwise, will have until March 31st to enter the contest to become royalty. The elections take place in mid-April.
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter: @themightygwinn
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