the queen is a ... queen?

George Mason University in the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington DC elected a homecoming queen. Why now you ask? Because they don't have a football team, so it has to happen during basketball season.

Why is it notable? Because GMU's students elected a queen to be their queen. Specifically, Ryan Allen, a 22-year old student who works as a drag queen in local clubs, won the vote and is Ms George Mason. Two women split the "I prefer a female queen" vote.

Some sophomore name of Grant Bollinger complained, said it wasn't worthy of a school that was ranked #1 (among "Up and Coming National Universities", whatever that means) by U.S. News & World Report, he said -- it should act like it.

Oh lighten up Grant. You're too young to be a curmudgeon. Allen's election is harmless, the "position" is completely irrelevant, nobody is hurt (well, maybe the two women who lost to Allen, if one or both of them desperately wanted that meaningless title to validate their university existence or something). Six months from now, nobody will remember except GMU students.

And Ryan? You look marvellous.