Westboro Pickets Constance’s Graduation

Mississippi teen Constance McMillen graduated from high school this weekend as Westboro Baptist Church picketed nearby. GetEQUAL sent a contingent to counter-protest.

As part of Harvey Milk Day on Saturday, Get Equal traveled to the South with its Mississippi Dignity Caravan, whose activities began with a rally at the Mississippi state capitol in Jackson. The group then traveled to Fulton, the home of Itawamba High School. McMillen attended IHS before harassment, following her attempt to bring a same-sex date to her prom, forced her to transfer to a school in Jackson. Six members of the Kansas-based Westboro Church, mostly members of the Phelps clan, protested the Saturday graduation of IHS with their typical homophobic Sturm und Drang. “We outnumbered them 60 to 6,” Get Equal reported on its Facebook page. “Two active members of the military even showed up in their uniforms to show their support of the counter-protest. Both said they weren’t gay, but wouldn’t have a problem if a fellow soldier was.”

Below, GetEQUAL meets with Constance after her ceremony.