Dressed in a bold red skirt and a tuxedo top adorned with sequins to match his scarlet-colored hair, 16-year-old Korben White took the internet by storm with the flowing ballgown he wore to his high school prom.
After a post by his mother, Nina Green, went viral, showing her son all dressed up for prom, supporters of the woke movement praised his elegant outfit, while critics weighed in with disapproval, claiming it reflected the “failure” of a parent “in encouraging this sort of thing.”
When Korben White was just 12, he shared with his mother Nina Green that “he wanted to go to his school prom in a gown.”
In 2022, four years after expressing his wish, the teen—a “sassy” young drag queen known as Miss Frou Frou—brought that vision to life.
Speaking to the BBC, Green described her son’s motivation. “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.” She added, “He wanted to be Korben…but in a dress.”
At age 12 my son announced he wanted to go to his school #prom in a gown. Four years later we made it happen. I’m so incredibly #proud of him for being true to himself & the reception he got from his whole school was incredible. What do you think @michellevisage @theebillyporter pic.twitter.com/lsLKnmY9k5
— Nina Green (@thisisneenz) July 1, 2022
When Korben stepped out of the car in a sparkly red outfit, paired with a white shirt and a large red bow, his grand entrance was met with cheers from both staff and students at Archbishop Sancroft High School in Harleston, Norfolk.
“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,” Korben’s proud mom said. “Everyone has been very supportive, and his year group has been incredible. If you let your child be who they are then you’ll get nothing but the best out of them.”
Continuing to show her unwavering support, Green celebrated her son with a tweet on July 1.
Accompanied by a few photos of Korben in his striking outfit, Green wrote, “At age 12 my son announced he wanted to go to his school prom in a gown. Four years later we made it happen. I’m so incredibly proud of him for being true to himself & the reception he got from his whole school was incredible.”
Her post quickly gained traction, with millions of people worldwide sharing, commenting, and praising the stylish young man.
It even caught the attention of Michelle Visage, a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race, who remarked, “You are an amazing beautiful mom and your child is a STAR.”
@michellevisage Thank you for having @korben_white and I on your @BBCRadio2 show this evening! Your support has been amazing and we’re looking forward to speaking again soon. pic.twitter.com/BxrD3d8oXL
— Nina Green (@thisisneenz) July 14, 2023
Korben described it as “very surreal” that his mother’s tweet had attracted the attention of Visage.
“To me she is such an icon, a wonderful celebrity and I really admire her,” he said.
Green hadn’t anticipated that her supportive post would “go crazy” and explained that she simply wanted to share her son “living his best life,” which led other parents to seek her advice.
Some users responded by sharing photos and stories of their own gender-nonconforming children.
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