The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Alliance is channeling high school prom this weekend.
Instead of polyester, ruffles and awkward conversation, the LGBTQA’s Queer Prom will feature stars and straps.
Queer Prom
What: | A dance held by the LGBTQA that is meant to create a safe place for people to have fun, dance and meet new people. |
When: | Saturday, May 24 from 8 p.m. to midnight |
Where: | Agate Hall |
Cost: | Free |
Queer Prom coordinator Holly Eberhardt said this year’s theme is definitely open for interpretation.
“It’s mostly for the name than anything else,” she said.
“It’s free for any interpretation, I guess. That’s a scary statement to say.”
Last year was Eberhardt’s first year at the University of Oregon, so this will be her first Queer Prom.
Eberhardt said decorations will be based on the prom’s theme and people will dress however they want.
According to Eberhardt, more than four hundred people showed up for the event the past few years.
She said, “People like to dance. It’s a social event, so people will show up.”
The goal of Queer Prom is to provide a safe place for members of the Eugene LGBTQ community.
Eberhardt said the idea is based on the fact that most high school proms do not provide for much diversity.
“A lot of people, at their school proms, were not necessarily allowed to bring a same-sex date or express any kind of gender variation,” she said.
The free event hosted by the LGBTQA will feature several of the same elements as ordinary proms. There will be the classic photo opportunity, a large variety of music played by DJ or iPod and refreshments.
When asked if the LGBTQA would give out the ultimate of high school dance honors, the titles of Prom Queen and King, Eberhardt laughed.
“We hadn’t talked about that,” she said. “I don’t know, we could put that in there.”
Eberhardt stressed that the event is open to everyone.
She said the Queer Prom will give attendees a space where they can meet new people and have fun.
“It is open and available to anyone who wants to go. It’s all ages, genders, sexualities, races, etc.,” Eberhardt said.
“It just provides a place where everyone in the community or outside of it can come and dance.”
Queer Prom will be held from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. this Saturday in Agate Hall.
Portland State University will host its own Queer Prom the day before with the theme of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
“[Queer Prom] is a space where you can be yourself and go dance,” Eberhardt said.
“It doesn’t matter what your identity is or who you’re there with.”
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