About 40 members of UA’s LGBT community and their supporters gathered for a chance to dance, socialize and, most importantly, bring any date they wanted.
The second annual “”Second Chance Prom,”” sponsored by UA’s Students Promoting Respect for Individuality Through Example club, featured refreshments, music and a moonlit dance floor in La Paz Residence Hall’s courtyard.
Sabre Sarnataro, SPRITE president and a mass communications graduate student, said the night was just one way the organization worked to fulfill its mission.
“”Basically the concept of the club is to be a social organization that’s residence-hall-based so people in the LGBT community and their allies have a comfortable, safe place to socialize,”” Sarnataro said.
Sarnataro said the idea for the event came from hearing about the obstacles that members of the LGBT community faced at their own high school proms.
“”People in the LGBT community had issues with attending prom with members of the same sex or in drag,”” Sarnataro said. “”We wanted to give people a second chance to do it the way they wanted.””
The evening mirrored a high school prom down to details like having a Hollywood theme and the crowning of a prom king and queen. However, the king and queen at this event were crowned on the basis of nominations rather than gender.
Sarnataro said all the attendees wrote down two names of people they’d like to nominate. The prom queen was the attendant who received the most votes, and the king was the attendant who received the second-most votes.
Dan Churgin, SPRITE vice president and a microbiology senior, said he felt the event was unique because it was a comfortable and alcohol-free environment.
“”It lets (people) be themselves in an open atmosphere,”” Churgin said.
Churgin said his favorite aspect of the evening was the large, white wall covered in “”SPRITE”” logos that was used as a background for photographs.
“”My boyfriend and I built the wall, so I like it,”” Churgin said. “”It’s supposed to go along with the Hollywood premier theme. It’s kind of like the paparazzi would be right here.””
English literature sophomore Jen McAlonan said the event reminded her of her high school prom in some ways, but it was more enjoyable.
“”People haven’t said ‘This sucks, let’s go,’ which happened at a senior prom at my high school,'”” McAlonan said.
McAlonan said the condoms and personal lubricant sprinkled on the floors and tables as part of the evening’s decorations also reminded her of high school in a way.
“”There are condoms on the floor (at the dance), and there were condoms on the floor of the bathroom where my high school prom was held,”” McAlonan said.
Sarnataro said she was pleased the event was a success even though the group had a limited budget.
“”People are dancing and smiling, and that’s all that matters,”” Sarnataro said.
