Regional organization sponsors rare event

Tri-State Alliance sponsors prom for gays, lesbians, transsexuals and supportive friends

The announcement of king and queen at the Tri-State Alliance prom will be like the crowning ceremony at any other prom, except there will be two queens, two kings and an ‘in-between.’

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The person crowned “in-between” will wear a crown made of half a kings and half of a queen’s crown.

This Saturday, the Tri-State Alliance, a non-profit organization will sponsor a prom for gays, lesbians and transsexuals younger than21. The prom will take place in Evansville, Ind. and although it is geared toward homosexuals, is also open to heterosexual friends of attendants.

“It’s basically a time for gays and lesbians to have a safe place to dance and celebrate who they are,” said Wally Paynter, director of the Tri-State Alliance. “It’s a great opportunity for people who didn’t get to go to their prom with more than just a token date.”

Paynter said that there were no problems with the event last year, and did not anticipate anything but an entertaining time for those participating in the prom. However, he said that, as a safety precaution, the location of the prom would only be disclosed at the time of the ticket purchase.

This is the second year for the event, which, although it takes place in Indiana, receives attendants from various areas including southern Illinois. Paynter said that while the event was a success with 60 attendants the previous year, he is hoping for at least 100 people.

Paynter said that press releases and word-of-mouth helped to inform individuals in the organization’s wide service area which includes parts of Missouri, Indiana and Illinois. While co-director of the Saluki Rainbow Network, Jenae Williams said SRN was aware of the prom and a few people had contacted her about attending.

“We [SRN] thought about going this year but we didn’t get things together in time,” said Williams, a sophomore in fashion design from Chicago. “It’s a good idea because a lot of us went to schools that weren’t necessarily conservative but didn’t allow gay or lesbian couples.

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It’s a big part of your high school career and it would just be great to relive a part of your life that was supposed to be special.”

Although Paynter said proms such as this one had taken place in the past, they were not common in the area. Those involved with SRN said that if membership increased in the future, they would definitely be interested in sponsoring a similar event on campus.

“It’s an important option because this is the one singular event that seems to be contributed to heterosexual privilege,” said SRN member Jason Vaughan, a graduate student in creative writing from Columbus, Ga. “It’s a fun event that makes a statement. When a man is able to go in public with the man he loves, it’s an important precedent for intolerance and inclusion.”

Reporter Jessica Yorama can be reached at [email protected]