Pride Prom: ‘A night to remember’ at CMU
Students dance in the Bovee University Center Rotunda Saturday, March 16, during Pride Prom.
Editor's note: The following story includes an interview with a Central Michigan Life staff member. The person was interviewed as a participant at the event and not as a representative of CM Life. In no way did this impact the reporting or writing of this story.
As the sun set and the glow sticks shined, the fun was just beginning while students danced across the floor during the Rock’n Rodeo Pride Prom at Central Michigan University.
Spectrum hosted its annual Pride Prom on Saturday, March 16 in the University Center Rotunda. Sophia Scarnecchia, president of Spectrum, said this tradition has been going on for 10 years at CMU.
Whether it was dancing on the floor or putting on a show at the lip sync battle, attendees were cheering each other on.
The prom also included:
- Coloring books
- Ring toss
- Kahoot
- Photo booth
- Ice cream bar
Scarnecchia said they wanted people to resonate with the catchphrase "last night was a movie."
“I want everyone to feel like they’re having the best times of their lives and tonight was like their little version of a movie,” Scarnecchia said.
One contestant sings 'Fearless (Taylor's Version)' by Taylor Swift, during a lip sync battle.
As this was Scarnecchia’s last event on campus before they graduate, they said they wanted to make sure the people who came were in a safe place, felt represented and had fun.
“I just want everyone to come and feel like they have a night to remember or belong. … That they remember in the light of their direction where they don’t have to hide the person that they wanted to be or pretend to be someone that they're not,” Scarnecchia said.
Ezra Sprague, a sophomore at CMU, said they felt it was nice to come to a prom where people could feel safe to dance with their partners.
“We haven’t been able to come to a dance since high school. You expect them to stop, so it’s nice to come here and have it be a safe space,” Sprague, a staff member at Central Michigan Life, said. “High school dances don’t always feel safe to dance with your partner if you’re in queer relationships, so it’s nice to have this.”
Scarnecchia said that Pride Prom is about people being able to know there’s a place they can let loose, dance how they want and let people see them knowing that they won’t be judged.
Attendees gather on the dance floor and play with the balloons.
As an ally, Lorenzo Harrison Anguiano, a general member of Spectrum, said Pride Prom is an opportunity for him to further educate himself through a way of celebration. He said this event is important for others to learn and celebrate people of different cultures and identities.
Scarnecchia said this event wouldn't happen without Spectrum. They said that being a part of Spectrum makes them feel less alone on campus because they are with people who have the same love, set of morals and respect as they do.
“It’s important to have community, especially in a place where you feel very under a microscope for who you are,” Scarnecchia said. “It’s important to have others that understand and are able to relate to you as well.”
Wyn Babcock, treasurer of Spectrum, said this is one of the biggest opportunities for queer celebration on campus.
Babcock said it’s important for queer individuals and allies to be loud about the acceptance of queer identities. They said it’s important for people to feel free to exist without worry of persecution.
“Regardless of how lonely you may feel, there are always people that are like you and people that love you even if they’re not like you,” Babcock said.
