As Pride Month comes to a close, OUTMemphis is once again preparing to host Queer Prom, its signature annual event. Molly Quinn, CEO of OUTMemphis, says that the event aims to give LGBTQ+ people in Memphis a chance to “bring everyone together for joy.”
“We came up with the idea because we were really interested in a kind of social event that would allow us to celebrate pride and celebrate our community,” Quinn says.
After walking into the East Atrium of Crosstown Concourse tonight, June 27th, attendees will be greeted by the OUTMemphis team, a free drink, and a room full of people diverse in terms of dress, identity, expression, and age. As the evening moves along, people will move to the dance floor and connect with members of the community. Queer Prom, Quinn says, is an opportunity to meet other queer Memphians, dress up in ways that spark joy, and reclaim a life milestone that many may have missed out on.
“Many LGBTQ+ people miss out on their milestones for fear of being exposed,” Quinn says, “or sometimes they participate in life milestones, but not as their authentic selves.”
According to Quinn, attendees take full advantage of the opportunity to dress their best, even if their outfit choices don’t align with the conventional idea of prom attire. She says that people show up to Queer Prom in anything from rented dresses and tuxedos, tight mesh bodysuits, sequined muu muus, or jeans and sneakers. All of these examples reflect the idea that a night out shouldn’t have, as Quinn puts it, a “cookie cutter vision”.
Quinn says she hopes Queer Prom offers a space that can support an individual’s sense of self expression, which is an integral part of the queer and transgender experience.
“We all have to create our own selves in a world that was not created for us,” Quinn says. “And Queer Prom is such a beautiful exhibition of that experience.”
Queer Prom, Saturday, June 27th, 7-11 p.m., Crosstown Concourse. For more info, visit queerprom.org.
