If you’re queer and want to dress up and dance, get your look ready for the upcoming annual Queer Prom organized by UO’s LGBTQA3 Alliance on May 20.
For anyone who didn’t feel accepted or welcome at their high school prom, or didn’t have one due to COVID-19, Queer Prom is an event aimed to celebrate all queer identities. This year’s annual prom is enchanted forest themed, delivering mushrooms, moss and glitter.
The organization of this year’s Queer Prom was led by first year student Mariana Marquez, advertising major and large event coordinator at the LGBTQA3 Alliance. Marquez and junior Sisi Husing, small events coordinator, also lead the club subgroup Lesbian Legion, which they recently created during winter term.
Husing said the high school atmosphere is constricting for queer people as it often isn’t the most open or safe environment to express one’s queerness. Fourth year Matthew Hampton, the LGBTQA3’s education and activism coordinator, said they skipped their high school’s prom because they did not feel comfortable attending.
“I didn’t go because I felt uncomfortable. I was out at the time. I wasn’t treated the best, and all those people were going to be there. It was just not a very fun time looking back,” Hampton said. “That’s another reason why we do queer prom. It’s for the people that didn’t feel safe or comfortable going to their own proms if they were able to have one.”
For many queer people, college is the first time where they can safely and freely explore themselves and connect with the LGBTQIA+ community through events like queer prom.
“It’s important to make that space for queer people who didn’t get [prom] because I think a lot of the queer experience is a delayed adolescence where, if you couldn’t experience [prom] in high school, college is the time [queer] people get to express themselves,” Husing said.
Hampton also emphasized that as the end of the school year approaches, it’s exciting queer people in the community will party together.
“I think that queer prom coming at the end of the year serves as a celebration of all the queer people that have dealt with all the bulls–t that’s gone on throughout the year,” Hampton said. “It’s like a celebration. We made it. We’re almost at the end of the year.”
Marquez emphasized that attendees should dress up in fancy attire and wear whatever makes them feel good.
“This is your prom, and you should be able to enhance what you want to wear and what you weren’t able to wear in high school,” Marquez said.
Husing added that the dance will also have a decompression room nearby for anyone needing a moment to step away, with snacks and comfy places to sit.
Queer Prom will take place May 20 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the EMU Redwood Theater Auditorium. Tickets were released May 13 and are free for students. They are expected to sell fast. For more information about the LGBTQA3 Alliance, check out their Instagram @lgbtqa3.
