A transgender girl won the crown as homecoming princess at a high school at a Colorado Springs high school.

Scarlett Lenh was crowned homecoming princess after receiving most of the votes from her schoolmates at Sand Creek High School. According to the Gazette of Colorado Springs, Lenh won the award despite competition from three other nominees who are all biologically female. Originally born as a boy, Lenh was first known as Andy Lenh before renaming herself Scarlett.

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"It was really exciting. It felt really good. I couldn't stop smiling," the 16-year-old shared. In describing the reactions of her co-nominees, Lenh shared that one of the girls "was really upset" over losing to her. However, the two other nominees were "extremely supportive" of her victory.

Lenh, who never imagined she would even be nominated for the award, was crowned during a football game on Friday. "One of my friends mentioned it, and I didn't think anything of it because I didn't think I'd be nominated. But now it really matters to me," the homecoming princess stated. "This is something I've wanted to do since my freshman year. I want people to be themselves and not feel uncomfortable in their own body and mind," she added.

In a statement from the District 49 spokesperson, Matt Meister, he declared the support and respect afforded by the area's leaders to the decision made by the students of the high school. "Our board policy sets the standard that we do not exclude any person from participating in any program or activity on the basis of gender identity and gender expression," Meister shared.

On the other hand, some parents and guardians of the high school students criticized Lenh's achievement. "It's craziness," Jana Neathery, the grandmother of one of Lenh's schoolmates, stated. "Originally, it was a joke that he was going to be nominated for homecoming princess, but he got a lot of nominations, and now there are a lot of upset girls because a spot was taken from them. I'm very sympathetic that he's transgender, but he should be on the boys' side, not the girls'," she shared.

In an interview with Lenh, she shared that she has only begun identifying herself as a transgender girl this year. She then decided to start using the girls' bathroom.

Tagstransgender, homecoming, colorado, sand creek high school