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Hayward Gay Prom

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Hayward Gay Prom
Date1995; 29 years ago (1995)
DurationAnnual
LocationHayward, California, United States
ThemeLGBT youth dance
Organized byKen Athey

The Hayward Gay Prom is an annual dance held for LGBT youth, which takes place in Hayward, California, United States. It was established in 1995.[1] It is centered on making LGBTQ youth feel comfortable and accepted.

History

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The Hayward Gay Prom is one of the oldest running gay proms in the United States. Ken Athey, a gay man and youth counsellor, founded the event. According to Athey, his goal was to create a safe space for LGBT youth to enjoy prom without discrimination.[2] It has been held at Centennial Hall and Chabot College.[3]

Students up to 20 years old may attend the event.[1] Many LGBTQ organizations attend and conduct outreach and facilitate activities at the prom. Everyone is welcome, and parents are encouraged to attend or volunteer in support of their children.[1] In 2014, the director for Project Eden predicted that more than 300 youth aged 14 to 20 would be attending the prom that year.[3]

A documentary film on the prom, Now We Can Dance: The Story of the Hayward Gay Prom, was created and shown at the 2013 San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]

Purpose

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See also: Anti-prom and LGBT youth vulnerability

The Hayward Gay Prom is an alternative prom where students can celebrate without fear of discrimination. The director for Project Eden stated, "It's a needed event because the young people need a place to go to where they feel safe and accepted".[12]

Controversy

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When the event was first established, people in opposition of the prom sported homophobic signs and wore rubber gloves and masks, a common anti-gay protest tactic utilized in the 1990s. Local law enforcement and older LGBTQ members had to stand in between protesters and the prom attendees.[12] Attendees were forced to run inside the event, and some kids opted not to attend the prom in order to avoid harassment they experienced in school from students and teachers. When the organization changed the location of the prom the number of protesters decreased, and for the first time at the 20th annual Hayward Gay Prom there were zero protesters.[12]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Owen, Elliot (June 5, 2014). "Hayward's gay prom turns 20". Bay Area Reporter. Archived from the original on 2015-06-23.
  2. ^ "Now We Can Dance: The Story of the Hayward Gay Prom - short version (17 min)". Vimeo (video).
  3. ^ a b Parr, Rebecca (5 June 2014). "Hayward gay prom Saturday". The Mercury News. ISSN 0747-2099.
  4. ^ "Hayward's Gay Prom - Beginnings & City Council Meeting". Blip.tv. 2007-10-25. Archived from the original on 2013-11-05. Retrieved 2013-09-07.
  5. ^ Parr, Rebecca (June 13, 2013). "San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival includes Hayward gay prom documentary". The Mercury News. Retrieved 2013-09-07.
  6. ^ "Alliance to Host Tracy's First Gay Prom". Google News Archive Search. Lodi News-Sentinel. January 12, 2006.
  7. ^ Winkelman, Cheryl (2006-04-14). "Gay prom goes smoothly despite threats". Inside Bay Area. ANG Newspapers. Archived from the original on April 15, 2006. Retrieved 2013-09-07.
  8. ^ "Library Director's Blog » Blog Archive » "Now We Can Dance" — a documentary about the Hayward Gay Prom". Hayward-ca.gov. 2012-12-12. Archived from the original on 2013-08-17. Retrieved 2013-09-07.
  9. ^ Laird, Cynthia (2010-05-27). "News in brief: LGBT youth proms in SF, East Bay". Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  10. ^ "Prom For Gay Students Attracts 100 In California - Orlando Sentinel" ([dead link]). Articles.orlandosentinel.com. 1995-07-02. Retrieved 2013-09-07.
  11. ^ "Library as Filmmaker: Documenting the Creation of a California Town's Gay Prom" ([dead link]). Lj.libraryjournal.com. 2013-02-20. Retrieved 2013-09-07.
  12. ^ a b c Kornblum, Janet (June 24, 2014). "Fabulous Photos From One of America's Longest-Running Gay Proms". Mother Jones.
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