BY ADAM M GLEN – He’s won countless awards. He’s married to the most beautiful woman on the planet. He’s a hip-hop icon. He supports marriage equality. 
Shawn Carter, better known as Jay-Z, stated in a recent interview with CNN that opposition to same-sex marriage is “holding America back.” He added, “What people do in their own homes is their business, and you can choose to love whoever you love. That’s their business. It is no different than discriminating against blacks.” As for President Barack Obama’s endorsement of same-sex marriage, Carter believes it’s less about votes and more about humanity. “I think it was the right thing to do. Whether it costs him votes or not. It’s really not about votes, it’s about people.”
Unfortunately, not everyone is as enlightened as Jay-Z. A point proven by a teacher in Scranton, Pennsylvania, who recorded Hanover Area high school senior Jared Swank with his transgender female prom date, then showed the video to her class the following Monday. The video received negative and discriminatory comments from students at the school, which is no surprise to Swank’s mother, Dawn Mendygral. “It hurt him. He was embarrassed. He was chastised. As a matter of fact, we just came from the gas station to get a drink before we got here and some Hanover Area students yelled out the window ‘faggot.'” Officials from the school board were confronted at a meeting by many parents who claim bullying is a huge problem. They have promised to launch a full investigation into the incident.
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