Nongender-Specific Homecoming Royalty? Just one more reason to not send your children to the University of Washington.

The Seattle Times is reporting that the University of Washington has eliminated the traditional homecoming king's and queens in lieu of homecoming "royals" so as to be more equitable. Apparently the homecoming "roayls" at UW are selected based on grades, activities, and other unknown categories which are weighted in unknown ways. The selected "royals" each win a scholarship. The reason UW now picks royals instead of a king and queen are so that the top two most qualified scholarship recipients win regardless of sex, so the homecoming royals may now be of the same gender.

This year two women won the top prize, Emi Nomura Sumida and Glorya Cho. Call me old fashioned, but I like a traditional popularity contest with a traditional King and Queen (without scholarships).