They Voted for Her: Standing With Fairview's Trans Homecoming Queen

By Bobbie Fenno

Sometimes a homecoming crown is just a homecoming crown. And sometimes, in a community where transgender people are increasingly targeted, it becomes something more.

This year, Fairview High School's Homecoming Queen is Sammi, a transgender girl her fellow students chose. Her classmates voted for her, celebrated her, and crowned her.

What should have been a joyful high school tradition instead became the center of controversy, with angry and anti-trans comments spreading across social media and some parents publicly criticizing the decision.

But there is an important fact that should not get lost in all the noise:

The students voted for Sammi.

She didn't take a crown from another student. A school administrator didn't simply hand it to her. Her classmates voted, and they chose her.

For transgender young people, seeing another trans student celebrated by her peers can be incredibly meaningful. Representation isn't always something found on television or in national politics. Sometimes it is the person sitting next to you in class. Sometimes it is the friend walking beside you in the hallway. And sometimes it is the person standing under the Friday night lights wearing a Homecoming crown.

For a young trans person who may wonder whether they truly belong, that moment can send a powerful message:

You belong here, too.

Unfortunately, the reaction to Sammi's crowning also shows how quickly transgender people can become targets simply for participating in everyday life.

Adults are certainly entitled to their opinions about school traditions. But there is a difference between having an opinion and directing hostility toward a teenager because her classmates chose to honor her.

Fairview Superintendent Donald Stark defended the student-led process and emphasized the district's commitment to inclusion and respect for individual differences.

And the community showed its support, too. Community members attended the Fairview School Board meeting following the controversy to stand behind Sammi and the students who chose her. The meeting reportedly reached standing-room-only capacity, and no one spoke against Sammi's crowning.

Social media can make the loudest voices seem like they represent everyone. They don't.

Fairview's students, and the adults who showed up to support them, offered a different picture of the community.

What can we do?

If you support Sammi and other transgender young people, let Fairview know. Thank the students, educators, and administrators who are creating an environment where transgender students can participate fully in school life. If you live in the district, consider attending school board meetings and being a respectful, visible voice for inclusion.

Don't let support end with this story.

Organizations such as Compton's Table and TransFamily of NWPA provide community, support, and resources for transgender and gender-expansive people and their families. Erie Gay News and other local LGBTQ+ organizations also provide opportunities to connect, volunteer, and support our community.

Volunteer. Donate. Attend an LGBTQ+ event. Support a trans person you know. Speak up when you hear misinformation or anti-trans rhetoric.

Most importantly, remember that transgender young people are watching what adults do.

Sammi was voted Homecoming Queen by her classmates. That's worth celebrating.

So, to the students of Fairview: thank you for reminding us that acceptance can sometimes be as simple as saying, "We choose you."

And to Sammi: Congratulations.

Let her have her crown. Let her have her moment. And let every transgender young person in Northwestern Pennsylvania know:

There is a place for you here.

About the Author

Bobbie Fenno Bobbie Fenno (She/Her) joined as a contributing editor in 2025, but has been involved with Erie Gay News as a folding volunteer previously. She graduated from the University of Phoenix with a Bachelor's degree in Business, a certificate in Project Management, and an Associate's in Information Technology. Bobbie is also an active member of the LBT Women of Erie group and was also a board member for the NWPA Pride Alliance for four years (2021-2024).