Boy Wears Red Ballgown and Lipstick to Prom – Teachers Start Crying as He Appears

A boy decided at a young age that he would love to attend his prom dressed in a ball gown, and four years later, his parents made it happen. His appearance had his teachers tearing up, and his classmates reacted just as dramatically.

Prom night is a milestone that consummates the end of an era in a growing child's life, and for all involved, it is usually a big deal. The kids want to look their best, and their parents want to satisfy them so they can reflect on the memory and be grateful it happened.

16-year-old Korben had the best experience at his prom, all thanks to his mom, who was kind enough to share details of what he wore with her friends on Twitter to show her support. Her tweet has since gone viral, with many famous faces retweeting and liking the post.

A Retroactive Promise

According to Korben's mom, Nina Green, her son had always enjoyed wearing dresses. As a teenager, he once performed as "sassy" drag queen Miss Frou Frou, but for his prom night, Korben wanted something else.

He told his parents that he would instead go to prom as himself but in a dress. This way, his feminine side would be on full display, and he could be himself in all the ways that mattered to him. Nina said:

"He wanted to go as himself, while expressing his feminine side - with a tuxedo on the top and a dress at the bottom, very much influenced by [American actor] Billy Porter."

An Applauded Entry

When Korben arrived at his school prom in his outfit, he was met with a lot of hooting and cheering from his classmates and staff members at Archbishop Sancroft High School in Harleston, Norfolk.

Nina later revealed in an interview that some of the school teachers were just as emotional as she had been while watching her son step out of the car, looking like his preferred version of himself.

The teachers cried from the pride of seeing Korben confidently embrace who he was, "As soon as he got out of the car, everyone just cheered and I was crying, some of the teachers were crying, because he was being who he wanted to be," Nina recalled.

People's Reactions to Korben's Prom Outfit

Korben made his request when he was 12, four years before his prom night, and his parents never forgot. On D-Day, they gave him everything he needed to look how he wanted and supported him in real life and on social media.

Korben looked dashing in a ball gown featuring a billowing skirt, a sequined jacket, a bow tie, and a small matching bag. Like most parents would have done, Nina took pictures of her son before he headed out, and to show her support, she shared them on her Twitter page with her followers.

The proud mom also tagged Billy Porter and "RuPaul's Drag Race" judge Michelle Visage and asked them what they thought. To her surprise, Michelle responded:

"Ohhhhhhhh yes! You are an amazing, beautiful mom and your child is a STAR."

Michelle was not the only one who had those thoughts. The tweet went viral, with many users commenting on how happy and fabulous Korben looked for his prom.

Many came out to share pictures of their kids dressed similarly, and others praised the boy's parents for allowing him to be himself. One user wrote:

"Your son looks so happy being able to wear what he wants to wear. I hope he also feels confident enough to know that he doesn't have to be a drag queen to do so, as that seems to be how he is describing himself at the moment. He can just be a man who wears amazing dresses."

Another shared, "My son also went to prom in a dress, now called Sky. She has never been so happy in life. I just wish we had been aware earlier. Those who don't understand, that's fine; just accept people for who they feel they are. He looks beautiful (sic)."

Since it was shared, Nina's post has amassed over 4,000 retweets, over 8,000 comments, and more than 110k likes from many famous faces as well as regular people on Twitter. One user who admired the boy and what he did also wrote:

"Looks fabulous! I absolutely love the gown/tux combo. I hope my son is still as confident and comfortable with himself at that age. Never lose your sparkle."

Kirk Wills, who implied that she made the dress Korben wore, said, "I couldn't be more proud of Korben; he rocked the look without a doubt. It was an honor to make this subtle look for his big night and see him rock his entrance."

There were also some negative comments, but many people rose to the boy's defense. One fan wrote, "Some people should have listened to their parents/grandparents, 'if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all.' If he wants to wear a dress, then that's his choice, and his choice only. He's not stabbing anyone or harming anyone."

The proud mother later shared an appreciation post, and in it, Nina admitted that when she shared the pictures, she had never expected the response she received from her fellow tweeps. She wrote:

"The support and positivity has been overwhelming and has totally drowned out the few negative ones, which we take no notice of. It's his life and I'm letting him live it."

Of his chosen look for his big night, Korben realized how important it was to have the courage to be himself. "It sends a message - you can be who you want to be," he added.

A Teenage Celebrity

The next day, Nina and her son attended Pride in London, and out of the blue, a fan walked up to them and asked if he was the boy in the red dress before stating that he thought he was "amazing."

It was all memories Korben would never forget as he moved on to the next stage of his life. With what they did, Korben's parents have proven how important it is for parents to let their kids be who they want to be without imposing their own beliefs on them.

QUESTIONS TO PONDER

• Would you let your child wear something like that to his high school graduation?

The subject of kids making decisions like Korben's has been under contention by many. Some support that kids need to be given space to be themselves regardless of what that is, but others think it is a parent's job to steer kids in what they feel is the right direction. In Korben's case, his mom let him choose what he wanted to look like and was just as happy with the results as her son was. In their case, perhaps it was the best option.

• How terrible could things have gotten without the crucial support from his parents, schoolmates, and teachers?

Things could have taken a wrong turn if Korben had not been encouraged by his parents or supported by his classmates and teachers. On social media, some had terrible things to say about the whole affair, but the positive responses far outweighed those. It was even better in real life because most seemed happy Korben had chosen to express himself. His mom may have supported him, but she had no control over what outsiders thought. It all worked out well, and Korben will certainly not forget the experience anytime soon.

Click here for another story about a girl who left prom in tears as some parents laughed at her over her outfit.