A transgender student hosted a “trailblazing” event for students who missed out on their high school prom experience.
Edge Hill University student, Kai Lambert, alongside the students’ union held its first-ever Queer Prom for LGBTQ+ students and allies. The night was designed to give those who are from the community a safe space to celebrate their identities away from the fear of discrimination.
Kai, a criminology student, said: “I was inspired to create Edge Hill’s Queer Prom after hearing negative stories from so many friends and other students about their secondary school prom. It originally started as a joke among friends that we should get a do-over to have a positive prom experience. But I then began realising how many queer people had been denied a great prom, and I wanted to give them that chance.”
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Queer Prom saw more than 100 LGBTQ+ students and allies party in style, with a rainbow photo booth, decorative Pride flags, and music from LGBTQ+ artists. As the trans and non-binary officer, Kai, is the voice of transgender and gender non-conforming students at Edge Hill, advocating on their behalf for positive change and better representation. The 19-year-old wanted to give students a second chance at what is supposed to be a monumental night for many during their teen years.
Kai added: “As a transgender man, my own secondary school prom experience wasn't the prom that so many cisgender students got to look forward to and enjoy. Pressure from my family and school meant I had to go in a dress, with full hair and makeup, which was a deeply dysphoric and uncomfortable experience.
“I wasn't alone in this. Many of my friends felt pressure to present as cisgender and heterosexual to be allowed to go to prom, and that's the experience of many students around the country. It felt like being cheated out of a safe and comfortable prom and excluded from an event that should have been open to everybody.
“To some, prom may be a cheesy teenage cliché, but it's an experience that everyone deserves to have and enjoy. So many people felt excluded from or uncomfortable at their first prom. Queer Prom is a re-do for those students – an opportunity to wear an outfit they love, bring a same-sex date, or anything else they didn't get to the first time.
“The reception from other students has been wonderful, and so heartwarming. So many students have reached out, expressing how grateful they are to have the chance to attend an event like this. A lot have shared horrible stories of their first proms, and let us know how excited they are to have the chance to make new, positive memories.”
Queer Prom is one of many efforts by Edge Hill Students’ Union to increase LGBTQ+ visibility around campus.
Lynda Brady, pro-vice-chancellor for student experience, added: “The student experience revolves around much more than grades and exams. We want to help students find their community, and make memories that will last a lifetime. For many young people, university is one of the first places they feel comfortable expressing themselves openly. This event is fundamental in ensuring freedom of expression.”
