Transgender Texas teen crowned homecoming king

SUGAR LAND, Texas -- In the back of his mind, Mel Gonzales had a good feeling he was about to be crowned Austin High School homecoming king. But as he and his fellow nominees stood on the field of Mercer Stadium on Friday, Sept. 12, he deliberately distanced himself from the notion.

The 17-year-old from Sugar Land knew he ran a more active campaign the other candidates, and was already thrilled to have made it to the top 5. Still, he took care not to prematurely accept this idea as fact. With his mother by his side, he stoically waited before the crowd to hear who his peers chose as their Class of 2015 homecoming king.

When his name was read, his hand shot to his face and it took a moment for the result to sink in. With the announcement, the Fort Bend ISD high school made Texas history by voting for the state's first male transgender homecoming king. But more pertinent to Gonzales' goal for his campaign, the attention his crowning has garnered sends a positive message of acceptance to other LGBTQ youth across the country.