By T’Keyah Dennis, Staff Writer
Armstrong’s Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) hosted their annual Coming Out Prom Saturday, Oct. 17, to create a safe space for individuals of Armstrong’s LGBTQ community.
The GSA executive board hosts a Coming Out Prom each year. The goal is to fill the space with LGBTQ individuals and other students as a way to provide them the chance to experience a welcoming prom.
“It’s called the Coming Out Prom and I know a lot of people, especially if they were raised in the south, probably didn’t get to take who they wanted to take to the prom. To this, it doesn’t matter who you bring. It doesn’t matter if it’s girl and girl, guy and guy, or trans. Nothing matters,” first time attendee, Elizabeth Mullins said.
GSA vice president and overseer of the prom committee, Hunter Hart, helped organize and select the theme for this year. Hart was ecstatic to see the decorations’ final layout.
“[This year] we’re going for a club rainbow theme…when walking into the prom you can see the rainbow accents and it still feels like a club at the same time,” Hart said.
The majority of students in attendance were part of the LGBTQ community, though many allies were also present.The prom helps students become more confident in their sexual identity because they can attend, have a great time, and not worry about being judged.
“We will have another prom in the spring where we will crown King and Queen of the LGBTQ community. This prom is solely to recognize coming out week,” says Hart.
Another first time attendee, Caleieh Allison, expected to “have a lot of social time to hang out with people who feel the same way and just have a good time.”
Event organizers hope that students will realize that GSA is fun and welcoming. They offer monthly events that make it easy for LGBTQ students and allies to find community on campus. Students are invited to attend meetings Wednesdays at 8 p.m. in Fine Arts Hall Rm. 206 to learn more about GSA and their events.
