Homecoming has always been focused on the importance of the traditional football game, and of course, the Homecoming Queen. However, there has never been a chance for men of Redwood to be in the run for Homecoming King, until Ahsab Alabedin, ’21 won the title of ‘Homecoming Queen’ for the 2020-2021 school year.
Alabedin was the first ever male nominee, and if it wasn’t for him, there would still be no Homecoming King Top Five.
Alabedin says, “It feels good knowing that I paved the way for more gender inclusion at Redwood, but the thought of someone who is non-binary running, there definitely needs to be a label for what they win, instead of Queen and King.”
After being the first male to run for Homecoming Queen, there would be many different opinions depending on the person, but Alabedin said, “For the most part, everyone was very supportive, other than some parents who were upset about winning.”
Continuing Alabedin’s legacy of running for Homecoming King, Daniel Padilla, ‘22 and Jackson Ford, ‘22 are two of the many nominees that are in the running for Top Five.
After being asked why it’s important to him to be nominated, Padilla says, “The most important part of being nominated as a male is that diversity is finally being included, and that guys should also get recognition as well.”
Having this change at Redwood shows the importance of everyone, and that gender shouldn’t have any influence on who can and can’t run for Homecoming Top Five.
As for how he has been campaigning, Padilla explains how he made multiple posters online for everyone to post on their social media, as well as he’s going to start making bracelets and handing them out.
Jackson Ford, ‘22 who was nominated by Students Against Trafficking says, “I’m thankful that my peers even thought to nominate me and it makes me super excited that I get to participate in things like the luncheon with my peers.”
The importance of having equality throughout the school is something that needs to be recognized, and with boys now being able to run for Homecoming as well as girls being able to run for Ms. Ranger, it is the start to something great.
Friday, September 10, 2021, Redwood’s Homecoming Queen and King will be announced at the traditional football game and parade!
This article has been changed since its original publication. Ahsab Alabedin was misquoted in a reference to an earlier article from the Gigantea on April 23rd, 2021.
Tags: aleena sanchez, clubs & lifestyles, homecoming, homecoming king, homecoming nominees, homecoming week 2021, nontraditional, Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood journalism, redwood rangers, tradition