DENTON — Voting is under way at the University of North Texas on what has become a very fiery issue.
UNT students are casting ballots online until midnight Friday as to whether same-sex or gender neutral couples will be allowed to run for homecoming king and queen.
The voting is taking place on the Student Government Association Web site. Student president Dakota Carter, who helped write the referendum, said he was the first to vote, just after midnight. But he's not saying how he voted.
UNT senior Adam Rosenfield is: He said, "no way."
"Gay and lesbian people can already run for homecoming, so this is kind of ridiculous," Rosenfield said.
Stephen Michael Benavides, chair of the campus' chapter of the American Civil Liberites Union, said he will vote for it. "I'm definitely going to vote 'yes' to allow that," he said. "Everyone should have equal access to public programs, especially on a university campus."
Benavides said he sees this as a civil rights issue. He and other stidents protested after the student senate initially voted against letting same-sex couples run for homecoming court back in October.
For the record, two homosexual students -- both male -- ran for homecoming king. After all was said and done, a male and female respectively were voted homecoming king and queen.
The outcome of this week's referendum vote will be known next Monday.
E-mail cvega@wfaa.com
