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On Saturday, PRISM, a queer support group on campus, threw a Queer Prom for LGBTQ community members who may not have gotten a great experience from high school dances.
“It’s a little later on, but you still get the chance to come in as you want or with who you want,” said Brennan Taylor, a computer science junior.
Taylor said he came from a “traditionally Christian state” where he felt things like queerness were not as socially accepted, even at dances.
“I wish I was kidding you. They literally had someone there with a ruler going between couples,” Taylor said.
Taylor said that he feared getting thrown out of dances if he dressed “wrong.”
“I am wishing I could say that I wouldn’t have gotten thrown out if I tried to wear a skirt coming into prom, but I’m not going to try to pretend otherwise,” Taylor said.
The UNK dance offered him and many other students a place where they could be comfortable.
This was the first time in a few years that PRISM organized a Queer Prom, but the planning process has been happening for a while.
“Our previous president had the idea, and when I took over we were really hyped about it and wanted to continue doing it, especially because LGBTQ students don’t always have the prom that they want,” said Brenda Larr-Romo, president of PRISM and a language arts sophomore. “We really wanted to make that happen now that they are in college, now that they are older and more mature about it.”
Nathan Hayes, a sophomore theater major, used the night to get away from the stress of work and college.
“I feel like I am a kid again or I can just be myself — have a moment to drop all stress from college and just have fun,” Hayes said.
As people trickled in, it made the place far more lively.
“We kinda timed it weird because it is Easter weekend,” Larr-Romo said. “We didn’t expect a lot of people to show up but that is OK.”
The DJ was also very active playing newer popular songs by bands like Olivia Rodrigo, Cavetown and Joji but with a house techno beat that gave the dance a unique atmosphere.
Prism also does many other things to support the community on campus, like the chalk in front of the union for trans visibility or the Luau at the beginning of the year.
“We provide a safe place for (LGBTQ) people,” Larr-Romo said. “We hold compliment jar nights or study nights, sometimes we do chalk nights where we go out and write positive messages on the sidewalk here on campus.”
PRISM is throwing its last event of the year this Thursday, the Holi Festival of Colors. A Hindu celebration of love and spring. The festival will take place from 4-6 p.m. on the green space south of the Student Union. Both water balloons and colors will be provided to participating students.
