At
just 16 years old, Korben White set the internet ablaze with his high school
prom attire. Posing in a vibrant red skirt and a sequin-speckled tuxedo top
that harmonized flawlessly with his scarlet-colored hair, he made a bold
fashion statement.
Following
a viral post by his mom, Nina Green, showcasing her teenage son ready for prom,
fervent supporters of the woke movement applauded his flowing frock. However,
others engaged in a shame game, suggesting it reflects a "failure" on
the parent's part for "encouraging this sort of thing."
When
Korben White was only 12, he told his mother Nina Green “he wanted to go to his
school prom in a gown.”
In
2022, only four years after his declaration of intent, the teen–a “sassy” young
drag queen who goes by the name Miss Frou Frou–made it happen.
Speaking
with the BBC, Green explains her son’s inspiration. “He wanted to go as
himself, while expressing his feminine side–with a tuxedo on the top and a
dress at the bottom, very much influenced by [American actor] Billy Porter.”
She continued, “He wanted to be Korben…but in a dress.”
As
Korben stepped out of the car in his sparkly red ensemble, complemented by a
white shirt and a large red bow, his grand entrance received applause from both
the staff and students at Archbishop Sancroft High School in Harleston,
Norfolk.
“As
soon as he got out of the car, everyone just cheered and I was crying, some of
the teachers were crying, because he was being who he wanted to be,” the proud
mom said of Korben. “Everyone has been very supportive, and his year group has
been incredible. If you let your child be who they are then you’ll get nothing
but the best out of them.”
Her
son’s biggest champion, Green continued her massive show of support with a
tweet on July 1.
Accompanied
by several photos of Korben in his stunning outfit, Green shares, "At age
12, my son expressed his desire to attend his school prom wearing a gown. Four
years later, we made his dream a reality. I'm immensely proud of him for
staying true to himself, and the overwhelmingly positive reception he received
from his entire school was truly heartwarming."
Her
post gained significant traction, with millions of users worldwide sharing,
commenting, and complimenting the handsome young man.
It
even reached Michelle Visage, a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race, who said, “You are
an amazing beautiful mom and your child is a STAR.”
Korben
said it was “very surreal” that his mother’s tweet captured the attention of
Visage.
“To
me she is such an icon, a wonderful celebrity and I really admire her,” he
said.
Green
wasn’t expecting that her show of support would “go crazy,” and said she only
wanted to show her son “living his best life,” which made other parents look
for her advice.
Certain
users shared images and anecdotes about their own children who challenged
traditional gender norms.
One
writes, “I worry for my son, he would really love to do something like this at
prom but he would definitely not have the support of all the students! So sad
that we still have homophobia even now. Well done to you, your son and his
school!”
A
second shares, “I am so happy for your son he looked absolutely amazing!!!My
son is trans, after 3yrs of transphobic bullying in Jan b4 GCSEs [General
Certificate of Secondary Education offered in parts of the UK] I had to take
him out of school for his mental health. He was always going to prom in a tux
and he was deprived of the chance.”
A
third simply writes, “Absolutely stunning! My daughter wore a suit to hers!”
Meanwhile,
amidst the positivity, a string of other comments emerged, serving as a
reminder that not everyone shares the same social perspectives.
One
writes, “There is very little hope for civilization,” and a second shares,
“…Vile, Woke & a failure as a parent in encouraging this sort of thing. A
12 year old boy should be playing football and learning to be a man. But, sadly
people now a days virtue signal, like what you’re doing with this tweet, and
ruin their kids for life. Shame.”
Another
netizen says the support for Green’s post is troubling. “There is absolutely
nothing natural about a ‘boy’ dressing like a ‘girl’–the support shows just how
screwed up our world is.” And one cyber fan goes so far as to suggests the
world is lacking logic, “We live in a world where children should no longer
pretend to be Indians but men should pretend to be women. Utopian.”
However,
steadfast in her support, Green refused to succumb to the online negativity.
The
day following the viral tweet, Green joined her son at London Pride and posted
a heartwarming photo of the two of them together.
One
cyber user commented, “My boy did too, couldn’t be prouder, he’s also at London
Pride today aged 16 it’s fabulous love and to you and yours,” and a second
shared, “you both look amazing xx”
A
third attacks the mom, writing, “Your son doesn’t look like a man anymore, some
kind of fa****”
Green,
who mentions on Twitter that she brushes off negativity, expresses her wish
that other children and parents will draw inspiration from the bond she shares
with Korben.
“I
really hope it will help others be more accepting, let proud parents feel they
are not alone, and that they can celebrate their children, and for young people
to know there is a network there if they need it.” She continued, “You need to
accept your children for who they are.”
Korben
Green is undeniably brave for embracing his true self so openly! He's
incredibly lucky to have such a supportive mom who remains focused on parenting
him in the most positive way possible, despite any distractions or criticism
from others.
What
do you think of teens attending prom in outfits that don’t represent their
genders assigned at birth?
Please
share this story and let’s see what others have to say!
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