Gay Teen Denied Prom Constance McMillen Story Coming To ABC Family

PUBLISHED: OCTOBER 09, 2010

ABC Family is developing a made-for-tv movie based on the real-life discrimination faced by lesbian teen Constance McMillen.

McMillen, with the assistance of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU),

 sued her rural Mississippi school district in March after it decided to

 cancel the annual prom dance for junior and senior students rather

 than allow McMillen to attend the event with her girlfriend and wear

 a tuxedo.

School officials in July agreed to pay the teen $35,000 in damages plus

 attorneys fees and adopt a policy prohibiting discrimination. Officials, 

however, did not admit to any wrongdoing in their offer.

The case drew nationwide attention, turning the teen into an overnight

 gay rights celebrity. She served as a grand marshal for New York's Gay 

Pride Parade.

According to Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood, ABC Family is in the 

early stages of developing the film. The movie is being helmed by

 openly gay producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. John Gray, creator-

executive producer of CBS' Ghost Whisperer, will write the script and is

 expected to direct.

Previous gay-related productions by the Zadan-Meron team include

 GLAAD Media Award-winners Serving in Silence: The Margarethe

 Cammermeyer Story and What Makes A Family.

BY ON TOP MAGAZINE STAFF