Transgender student elected king

For Andrew Gomez, the month of November was one of firsts.

First, he broke the news to his mother that he was transitioning from a female to a male. Then the 24-year-old transgender student was elected Homecoming King at Pasadena City College. Neither event came easily, but the second milestone nearly did not happen.

PCC's homecoming committee initially ruled Gomez ineligible because of his pierced ear. But after students complained, lodging charges of discrimination, the committee relented and reversed its decision. Gomez said his election earlier this month as Homecoming King surprised him, even though he initially ran hoping to become a source of inspiration for other gay, lesbian and transgender students.

"I wanted them to feel like they could do something like this, instead of having them feel, `I am not straight so I can't do this,"' Gomez said.

Gomez is still in a transitional period. He hopes to have surgery, but acknowledges it will not happen for some time. There are still specialists to see, male hormones to be prescribed and a myriad of other changes before Gomez's transformation can be complete. For now, he has taken simpler steps. Gomez binds himself, although "it is unnecessary, since I am nearly flat-chested," he said.

"He is a low-key person," said Sue Talbot, advisor to the United Rainbow Alliance, a PCC support and advocacy group for gays, lesbians and transgender people. Of the latter group, Brian Kraemer, who heads Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, a support group not affiliated with PCC, said he has seen more transgender individuals and their families attending the group's meetings.