While many have fond — or maybe not so fond — memories of their high-school prom, ALLY is providing a way for Ohio University students to re-experience prom.
Saturday, ALLY, OU’s Gay-Straight Alliance, will host its annual Queer Prom in the Walter Hall Rotunda.
ALLY, which has about 30 members, is composed of people from all backgrounds who strive for the equal treatment of all minority groups, mainly focusing on the issues of LGBT individuals, according to its website.
Members of ALLY created Queer Prom as an attempt to amend some of the social injustices LGBT youth often go through when faced with the stigma of taking the partner of their choosing to their high-school proms, according to the group’s Facebook event.
“Not a lot of people from the LGBT community got to attend prom or didn’t get to bring a date of their choosing,” said Amber Gemperline, a three-year Queer Prom attendant and junior studying communication studies. “It’s all about people coming together, being together, wearing what they want and bringing who they want.”
The event takes an immense amount of time to plan, said Ashley Braxton, president of ALLY and a senior studying magazine journalism.
“We literally start planning the next year’s prom the day after the previous year’s,” Braxton said. “It’s a yearlong process with a lot of panic towards the end.”
This year’s theme is “Super Queeros,” where participants are encouraged to wear their favorite superhero or alter ego outfit. Attendants can also choose to don traditional prom attire or just whatever makes them feel beautiful, according to the Facebook event.
In addition to the theme and outfit choices, the event includes much of normal high-school prom fare. There are refreshments, music and dancing, and a prom court is chosen.
Although the event has an LGBT focus, the group makes a point to make all attendants comfortable regardless of sexual orientation.
“We’re the campus’ GSA, so we don’t cater exclusively to the LGBT or heterosexual communities,” Braxton said. “Everyone is welcome.”
Making all queer promgoers feel comfortable is something very important to the group, Braxton said, so the event is also alcohol-free and free to attend.
ks574510@ohiou.edu
IYGB:
What: ALLY Presents Queer Prom 2012
When: 9 p.m. Saturday
Where: Walter Hall Rotunda
Admission: free
