Tomorrow night, Common Ground will host its second annual Pride Prom event in the Hayden-Clark Alumni Center Ballroom from 7 to 10 p.m.
Common Ground is Bradley’s LGBTQ+/straight alliance on campus. Pride Prom aims to give students a prom just like in high school, but this time with a focus on the inclusivity of he community. This is especially important if they were unable to bring their significant other or express their gender identity, according to former Common Ground president Gabrielle Hogan.
“High school proms are full of such a beautiful, youthful atmosphere, but many queer high schoolers don’t get that opportunity to enjoy that because they’re not out, or they’re bullied for being out,” Hogan, a junior English major, said. “It’s so rare that queer people have spaces just for them, especially spaces where they’re allowed to just have fun and exist. This is giving that adolescent milestone back to queer people and saying, ‘Hey, you deserve this too.’”
Bradley’s first Pride Prom was hosted last year in April, although other colleges have hosted similar events in the past.
“Last year’s event was everything I could have asked for,” Hogan said. “It was tough work getting it together, but [it’s] all worth it in the end to see so many people so happy and enjoying themselves in a world that often doesn’t want to see their joy.”
The event will be somewhat different than before. Last year’s Pride Prom featured a drag queen performance. This year’s prom will feature a raffle, hula hoop contest and inflatable beach balls.
“There’s still going to be food, music, dancing [and] photo opportunities,” current Common Ground President Melissa Dillon said. “We have a photo booth from ACBU and Student Activities, so we’re going to get that set up in the corner. Then it’s just going to print out pictures, so people can get them the way you would at a high school dance and hang them on your walls.”
The event is free for Bradley students, $10 for non-Bradley students and $15 for couples. All proceeds will be donated to the Center for Prevention and Abuse.
“We figured [the Center for Prevention and Abuse] is a good organization to work with,” Dillon, a sophomore secondary history and social studies education major, said. “They do good things for the Peoria community and across the country for people that have been put in situations where they have to deal with abuse.”
Common Ground’s current and past executive boards are working together to organize the event. Senior English major and former Vice President Daniella Alscher said they want to publicize that the dance is for everyone.
“I think [Pride Prom] is important for allies because it gives them a chance to show their support,” Alscher said. “But it’s also important for the LGBTQ+ students because it’s their event, it’s their chance to be comfortable with who they are, be comfortable with their own identities, and it’s just a good chance for people to enjoy themselves.”
