- Hi, I'm Sherry Pie and I'm at Buzzfeed's Queer Prom.
This is my first prom.
(cheers)
- For me being here for Queer Prom
feels like a well-deserved break, like I'm officially done
with high school and ready for whatever
the world throws at me and that's exciting.
- I'm like most excited to see everyone
being comfortable with everything that they are wearing.
- I want to rock a suit.
I want people to look at me
and be like, "Dang, she looks good!"
- I want to be seen.
I want them to look and keep looking
and then not look away, the whole night.
- I want to be like those spotlights.
I get to do that for once in my life and it's so cool to me.
I want my hair to be a crazy color
that no one in that hall expects me to wear.
The hair, everyone's positive vibes, and the makeup,
Oh man, I felt like royalty.
- To be completely honest, I do love
the attention a little bit.
Everyone's experimenting with makeup, with clothing.
- I like looking like a boss,
I like looking put-together and, like, ya'll made it happen.
Oh my god, I think I'm gonna look like Prince Charming.
- [Rob] What do you think? - They look amazing!
Oh my god, they go with my eyes
- So you get sparkle, sparkle, yes, great little suit
that has the elongated jacket...
- I get to wear I suit, I get to wear pants.
That's awesome.
- Who wears prints like this?
I got chills as soon as I put that jumpsuit on.
- I'm excited about that.
I can't wait to see all of it.
- We have our look! - High five!
- [Camera Person] Take one.
- Hey, oh my gosh!
I don't feel like at home I can just go
somewhere in a pink tux.
- Oh my god, yes.
- Ooh, my hair looks good, I look flawless!
- If the rest of my life is going to be like this
or anywhere close, I am so ready.
- I feel so confident in what I'm wearing, I feel confident
in my hair, I feel confident in my makeup, my clothes.
I'm wearing something I'm gonna be comfortable in.
I can wear pants and can bust a move, why not?
- I'm so excited to wear this to Queer Prom!
- I am super particular about the outfits
that I've put together and I ended up looking exactly
how I wanted to look.
- Wow, like, this is actually happening!
I get to wear a boutonniere, I get to wear whatever I want!
You're gonna see like, the true Eva.
You're gonna get the whole attitude.
- I didn't mind being, like,
extra, extra, read all about it!
- Let's go to prom!
- [Donovan Voiceover] It was amazing,
walking through the streets dressed up so fancy
and having everyone staring at us.
- [Paige Voiceover] We looked amazing, we looked great.
We just looked like an entourage
and we were important people.
- Tens, tens, tens across the board!
(beating music)
- Hey, everyone, I'm Jay Manual
and we are here at Buzzfeed's Queer Prom.
- Welcome to Queer Prom!
We're so excited!
- I absolutely did not have a Queer Prom growing up
but being here is incredible.
All joining together on the 1st of June,
Pride Month here in New York City to celebrate Queer Prom.
- [Ose] When I was on the Red Carpet,
I felt like I was having the most fun with my friends
and that made the experience ten times better.
- I thought the Samsumg space was so, so crazy
and we all did the cool Samsung 837 experiences together.
No matter who you were, it was absolutely awesome.
- It was just like paradise,
it was like the perfect sanctuary to be in.
Rainbows everywhere!
- Everyone knows I'm gay and it's okay!
Ready to party, let's go!
- [Announcer] Let me officially welcome you
to Buzzfeed's Queer Prom, let's hear it!
Let's also give a round of applause
for our beautiful Prom Goers, yes!
- You can be whoever, dress however,
do whatever, and everybodies' like, yeah!
Be as extra as you want to be because we're all extra.
- So much fun!
(chill techno beat)
- [Teo Voiceover] I remember dancing, lots of dancing,
being very out of breath, just everybody smiles.
- It was actually the first time
that I danced with my mom, too.
- He did good, I saw him puttin' on some dance last night,
It was like, "That's my, no that's not my child, no."
- They had never seen me dance before.
- [Ose Voiceover] She was out here, she was getting it,
I had such a good time.
- Um, the Drag Queens was the highlight of my night.
I've never seen people so confident in themselves
and it was so inspiring to see.
Drag Queens make you confident,
Drag Queens make you, like, ready for everything.
- There was a performance by Starley
which was absolutely incredible, I think I love Starley.
I was definitely in a room full of people
that would respect me and love me no matter, what.
- It just you know, I felt like, loved, I felt appreciated.
("Love is Love" by Starley)
♪ And then you went on to say ♪
♪ "How will I break this news to your mother" ♪
- I got to hang out with a bunch of queer people
that I've never met before
and they honestly felt like family
and this thing, which I will never take off my head.
- I felt so good, getting crowned especially by Curly!
Oh, my god, I love him!
I opened up something I never thought I could,
I'm building that stepping stone for future generations
to be able to scream out loud:
Yes, I am gay, or queer, or whatever identify as.
- [Don Voiceover] Having this experience,
I realized how much of myself I've been holding back.
I'm still learning so much about myself,
I'm learning so much about what I can do.
♪ Love is love ♪
I don't know, I felt like I was my full self
at Queer Prom and I can start trying
to be my full self in other places in my life also.
♪ Love is love ♪
Starley let me sing on the microphone!
It was awesome!
It was probably the best night of my entire life other than,
you know, when I was born that was really fun. (laughs)
- I would tell person I was ten years ago that things
are gonna get so amazing that you can't even imagine it,
like I still can't even imagine it, so just wait.
- If I could go back in time, I would say,
"Eva, why are you hiding?
"The true you is amazing and no one wants you to hide that
"and there are people who are going to love you for you,
"so don't change for anyone."
- I learned that everyone's has a different book,
everyone's got a different story, and no matter how
you write your story, you're always supported
and to have a community that loves you.
- I would say to queer teens who are watching this video,
if you feel alone right now, I promise you're not.
You can talk to me, you can reach out to me,
I will talk to you.
- I just love the fact that
they were all able to come there for one night
and just forget about everything else and have a good time.
- This was like a home.
- I'm probably gonna talk about Queer Prom
for the rest of my life.
- What existed at Prom and in the last
couple of days needs to get out into the world.
- I love you guys!
- See you later, Queer Prom.
- It's just the start of something new.
♪ We've got to hold one another ♪
♪ We've got to hold on real tight ♪
♪ You know we only have each other ♪
♪ As long you open up your eyes ♪
♪ 'Cause love is love, oh ♪ ♪ 'Cause love is love... ♪