Zachary Willmore, the first male student ever crowned homecoming queen in Missouri, has spoken out against the wave of renewed criticism surrounding his 2021 win, a moment he once described as “literally like a dream.”
The controversy resurfaced this month after a social media post went viral, calling his crowning a “slap in women’s faces across the world.”
The 22-year-old influencer responded directly, wondering why an event from four years ago was suddenly back in the spotlight. “Why is this going viral?” he asked on October 7, reposting the thread that had spread across Facebook.
He believes what should’ve remained a relatively minor high school event was blown out of proportion by people on both sides, each eager to turn him into a symbol for their own ideological battles.
Now, Willmore has taken the chance to set the record straight.
22YO man crowned as homecoming queen in Missouri spoke about the hatred he continues to receive four years after his victory
Image credits: zacharywillmore
In 2021, then a senior at Rock Bridge High School, Willmore made history by becoming the first male homecoming queen not only at his school but in the entire state of Missouri.
Dressed in a gold sequined gown, he smiled as classmates erupted in cheers while he accepted the crown and sash on the football field. The moment was captured on video and spread rapidly across social media.
“It was literally like a dream,” he told local news outlets shortly after his win. “It was just really special to me.”
Image credits: zacharywillmore
But the fairytale moment soon soured. As his victory drew national headlines, Willmore became the target of online harassment from critics who accused him of taking a title meant for women.
“So another thing we’re taking away from girls. Got it,” one commenter wrote.
“I’m truly surprised that he won. That doesn’t sit well,” another added.
Image credits: zachwillmore
That claim, Willmore clarifies, is rooted in misinformation.
“It was based on popularity at the time and how many votes one specific person could garner regardless of the title,” he explained in an interview with People Magazine.
“I could’ve opted to be called homecoming king if I preferred. It wasn’t about replacing anyone.”
Willmore accused the media of worsening the situation by framing it to provoke outrage
The renewed outrage, Willmore says, feels deliberately manufactured and has been made worse by social media outlets desperate to engage in rage and clickbait practices.
“I feel like some of these articles that have come out recently are meant to enrage people,” he said.
“I see the highlighted words — ‘homecoming queen in the state of Missouri, who is a man’ — and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, this is so obviously trying to rage-bait people.’”
Image credits: zachwillmore
He remembers the same tone from the first time his win went viral.
Willmore had posted a countdown to homecoming on TikTok, building excitement among his followers. When he uploaded the crowning video, it reached 5 million views within hours, and then, suddenly, his account was banned.
Image credits: zacharywillmore
“I think a lot of people were coming to report it just because they were really upset,” he recalled.
“I am definitely so much tougher of a person because of that experience, because I did get threats [sent] to my house.”
The influencer now believes many of his critics willfully misunderstand his story. “At this point, I think that some people intentionally misunderstand,” he said.
The influencer became famous for his willingness to discuss his life as an HIV-positive person openly
Image credits: zacharywillmore
Now a senior at San Diego State University, Willmore has turned his pain into purpose.
With over 2.3 million TikTok followers and under the nickname “Star Boy,” he continues to create content about self-expression and lifestyle, while openly discussing his life as an HIV-positive young man.
Image credits: zacharywillmore
“When I first got diagnosed with HIV, I felt like my world was ending,” he explained.
“After I got on medication and became undetectable, I started to feel like myself again and my life began to go back to normal. I take a pill in the mornings and I go about my life.”
He says his decision to speak publicly about his diagnosis came from a desire to help others.
“Harm rates are disproportionately high for people who receive HIV diagnoses,” Willmore explained.
“Without the support system I had, I would have been at risk of becoming a statistic. I wanted to help people without that support system by showing what life is like after the diagnosis.”
Image credits: zacharywillmore
Through both his advocacy and his honesty, Willmore has reclaimed the narrative around his name, one that others tried to twist into outrage.
“I definitely thought that it was going to be one of the other guys at my school because he was just so popular,” he said of his homecoming win. “It was really nice. I was excited about it.”
Four years later, he still is.
“I am definitely so much tougher of a person because of that experience.”
“It’s called voting.” The debate surrounding Willmore’s win shows no signs of slowing down
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