Nov. 29, a small group of students gathered at the Goggin Ice Center Lounge to attend an event that was the first of its kind on Miami University's Campus. Queer Prom, hosted by Spectrum, is a semi-formal event for LGBTQ students and allies at Miami University.
Spectrum is Miami's undergraduate LGBTQ-straight alliance and is known for sponsoring events that promote activism, awareness and acceptance according to Co-President senior Billy Price.
Spectrum often hosts drag shows as its primary fundraiser and social event. The Queer Prom event is part of a push to refocus Spectrum's efforts to host more social events on campus, according to Spectrum Co-President junior Matt Metzler.
"This event was small this year, in part because we spent such a short time planning for it," Metzler said. "For the first time ever putting it on, I think we had a great turnout and it has set us up for many more great events in the future."
Sophomore Jacob Turnbow, the social chair of Spectrum and the main planner for Queer Prom, said the event was tough to pull off on such short notice.
"A lot of Spectrum members have been asking for an event like this one for a long time and I'm glad we were able to get it together," Turnbow said. "I am very proud that Miami is accepting enough to host a potentially provocative event like this one."
Couple Connor Wilkinson and Kendal Keiser met in their small-town high school and said the event was particularly special for them.
"I have never been around this many gay people in one place before," Wilkson said. "[Queer Prom] has been fun and a great experience."
"It is great to see people out and being themselves," Keiser said. "One of my favorite parts of being [at Queer Prom] is that every type of couple and every person is welcome."
First-year Lilly Barger compared Queer Prom to her high school's prom. Barger said she would have loved to be out in high school especially for prom. Barger said she wore a suit to prom when she would have felt more comfortable in a ball gown.
"Many of us weren't out in high school or couldn't be very outgoing about it if we were," Barger said. "This event can't replace the high school experience, but it does remind us that there are places where we can be ourselves."
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Senior Dylan Mosley was an attendee who had been out for his high school proms. He said the biggest difference that he felt between the events was the size. However, according to Mosley and a number of others at the event, the small size was not necessarily a negative point.
"Most of the people here (at Queer Prom) already know each other, the event is really small, but I think it is more comfortable for some people," Mosley said.
Queer Prom was included in the Spectrum sponsored "Out Week" activities and marked the last major event of the semester.
According to Turnbow, Spectrum has already begun planning for its largest and most visible event "Awareness Week" which is scheduled to begin March 19.
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