Transgender teen hosts Queer Prom for LGBTQ+ young people who missed out

A transgender teenager in Lancashire has hosted a trailblazing event for queer students who missed out on their high school prom experience.

On Thursday 26 May, Edge Hill Students’ Union held its first ever Queer Prom, just for LGBTQ+ students and allies.

The event, hosted by Criminology student and Trans & Non-Binary Officer Kai Lambert, was designed to give LGBTQ+ students a safe space to celebrate their identities, away from fear of discrimination.

Kai, 19, 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.”

Queer Prom saw more than 100 LGBTQ+ students and allies party in style, with a rainbow photo booth, decorative Pride flags, and queer music from LGBTQ+ artists.

Kai, who is a transgender man, wanted to give students a safe space to celebrate their identities, away from fear of discrimination. As Trans & Non-Binary Officer, Kai is the voice of transgender and gender non-confirming students at Edge Hill, advocating on their behalf for positive change and better representation.

Kai said: “In every aspect of daily life, queer people have to worry about their safety, especially with the numbers of hate crimes constantly increasing. Transgender and gender non-conforming people especially often feel restricted to private, safe spaces as their only chance to present as their gender.

“This fear of violence and harassment prevents so many people from presenting in an authentic, comfortable way, or going to certain areas and events. We need safe spaces that provide a break from this fear, to provide safety and comfort where we can, until the rest of the world catches up.”

Kai continued: “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 in order to be allowed to go to prom, and that’s the experience of many students around the country as well. 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 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. Alot 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 on Edge Hill University campus.

Lynda Brady, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Student Experience at Edge Hill University, said: “Edge Hill University prides itself on being an inclusive environment, and it is wonderful to see more representation for transgender and non-binary students on campus.

“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 to express themselves openly. This event is fundamental in ensuring that freedom of expression.

“The Students’ Union’s Queer Prom is a fantastic initiative. Our LGBTQ+ student community has made an outstanding contribution to our University, and I am hopeful to see more events of this nature in the future.”