GSA formal bends gender to bring together a diverse campus
The Gay Straight Alliance’s first Queer Formal on April 12 may be the perfect catalyst for acceptance of all sexual orientations at CU Boulder.
Held at the Club Level of Folsom Stadium, the event held homage to classic high school proms. Carefully decorated tables and buffet trays of cakes, hors d’oeuvres and chocolate covered strawberries were surrounded by couples in sleek gowns and dapper suits.
The twist was what outfit each person chose to wear. As written on the Facebook invitation, formal wear was required but did not have to be gendered. Girls donned fedora hats and neckties, while a handful of men wore skirts and dresses.
Allowing people to dress and act without the pressures of social norms gave the atmosphere a relaxed and accepting vibe.
“We’re especially excited because we have same sex and opposite sex couples here on the same dance floor,” said Jake Golding, 20, a communication major.
Chair of the CU Gay Straight Alliance Lacee Jauregui, 21, said the hard work of organizing the event was worth seeing all of the guests have a good time.
“Students have been wanting this to happen for a long time, but it just hasn’t been organized,” Jauregui said. “No one has put in the time or effort it really needed.”
The event was not only a social event, but also a charitable one. Proceeds from the ticket sales went to the Boulder County AIDS Project. Jauregui said that this is one step the GSA is taking to get the members more involved in the Boulder community.
“We want our members to be getting out into the community and giving back to the community,” Jauregui said. “We don’t want the GSA to be stuck in its own safe place. We want to be responsible as young adults, too.”
Most people attending the dance heard about it through the GSA, Womens Resource Center, or from flyers around campus. How the roughly 200 people got to the formal didn’t seem to matter, just as long as they were having a fun time.
“It has all of the delicious awkwardness of high school prom without the principal,” said Kelly Colwell, 22, an environmental engineering major.
Contact Campus Press staff reporter Carolyn Michaels at Carolyn.michaels@colorado.edu.
