University of Oklahoma's homecoming court goes gender-neutral

NORMAN, Okla. (KOKH) — The University of Oklahoma is sidestepping its usual homecoming "King and Queen" titles in favor of a more gender-neutral selection.

In the past, students always selected one man and one woman to win homecoming. Instead, the school is now honoring any two students as homecoming "royalty".

OU says the change is being made in an effort to promote more equality on campus.

The two students who won, Justin Norris and Reece Henry say the break from tradition is in turn helping to break down social barriers.

"I mean, the world is changing and OU continues to change with it," said Norris. "With this court not being equally split six and six, you know, male and female, it just shows there are so many different types of people who deserve to be recognized."

The decision comes as several other Big 12 universities are also dethroning the conventional homecoming monarchy.

Under OU's new format students are first nominated by their on-campus organizations. Then school faculty and staff select a group of 12 students who have shown outstanding service and leadership to be on the homecoming court. Their peers are then able to vote for two winners, regardless of gender.

"I was kind of shell shocked at first," said Henry upon hearing the news he had won.

"It just made me feel very validated in my identity and loved by OU," said Norris.

Kicking crowns to the curb, they were each given a sash to symbolize their victory.

Both say it’s not only a win for them, but for their campus as a whole. Their hope is that OU continues to be seen as a place where everyone can feel accepted and celebrated.

"Just being recognized not as filling a quota of ‘we need to fit this equal number of males and females', but just these are people who have made a really great impact on campus and we want to celebrate them for that. I feel like it’s a really important and positive shift," said Henry.

"I’m sure there are so many queer students here on campus, white students, black students who have been able to look at this court and see themselves in it and just really maybe think in the future not just I can be on the homecoming court, but I can really do anything I set my mind to here at OU and people are going to support me for it," said Norris.