The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Allied student organization held the annual Queer Prom for the Eugene community Saturday night. Coinciding with Pride Week, the event was an open environment where anybody could enjoy prom, regardless of sexual orientation.
Themed as “Alice in Wonderland,” the event drew a range of people from high-school students to the middle-age adults. The environment in Gerlinger Annex was positive and lighthearted, as everyone enjoyed dancing and socializing.
“It’s a time for people to have fun with a theme, get wacky, dress up and celebrate everything that it is to be queer,” said Jenna Minard, a coordinator for the Queer Ally Coalition.@@http://www.google.com/search?q=Jenna+Minard%2C+the+Queer+Ally+Coalition+Coordinator&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a@@
Taking place every spring, the event provides a platform different from a traditional high school prom.
The idea behind Queer Prom is to give people of any age or orientation a chance to celebrate the event of prom that doesn’t strictly fit the old-fashioned concept of a guy taking a girl. Because of social classification, many people in the LGBQTA spectrum may have missed out on celebrating their own high school prom.
“It’s good because a lot of kids aren’t out in high school. They usually come out after high school, so this is a chance for them to have a prom that they actually want,” said Irish Rivera, a Queer Prom attendee.
The comfortable environment was clear from the beginning, as nongendered @@no hyphen@@bathrooms were available. Unlike traditional prom where someone might stand at the door taking tickets or checking off a list, the door into the dance floor was simply open. Anyone interested could come in and enjoy the event.
“It’s nice to have this place where people can go,” attendee Matthew Bildsprecher said. “The climate still isn’t a generally accepted one — especially in high school and even from faculty and staff.”@@http://savagelime.tumblr.com/@@
Attendees showed up wearing everything from traditional prom attire to the creative costumes inspired by the themes. The atmosphere was eclectic, as shown by people dressed as bunny rabbits, queens, mad hatters and multiple Alices, along with dresses and suits.
Matching the attire, the LGBTQA converted the basketball gym to fit the theme of the night. Black lights hung from every wall, illuminating colorful neon spray paint of shapes, symbols and words on large canvasses that went around the room. On one end of the room, scenes from the Disney version of “Alice in Wonderland” were projected on the wall near a set of tables that were put up for people to rest from dancing. A stage sat in the opposite corner where attendees danced to songs from Lady Gaga to Dr. Dre.
The end of the event — and Pride Week — capped off another successful year for the LGBTQA, celebrating the right to be queer while giving a voice to an entire community.
“I’m just so proud of these people, who have been silenced or in the closet or not comfortable with who they are,” said Ryan Riddick, the event’s coordinator with LGBTQA. “This is a chance for people to just come out and have fun with people like them in just a loving community.”