SF State’s Queer & Trans Resource Center hosted a “Carrie” themed spring prom on Thursday. The spring prom was held on campus at Jack Adams Hall and was a follow-up event to December’s winter ball called “Winter is a drag.”
The theme of Thursday’s spring prom was “Carrie,” after the 1976 supernatural horror film starring Sissy Spacek. The movie follows the story of the titular character Carrie White, a shy high school student often the victim of bullying, who later finds out she has telekinetic abilities.
According to Assistant Director of the Queer & Trans Resource Center Lux Montes, Carrie was chosen as the theme because the movie illustrates how ostracizing it feels to be on the outskirts of a normalized society.
“I feel like a lot of us here at SF State can relate to that experience,” Montes said. “What I love about Carrie is that one beautiful crystalline moment when she gets elected to be prom queen and feels accepted. And there’s tears in her eyes, and that’s the moment I really want to bring, that moment of acceptance, that celebration of inclusivity. This one’s for the freaks.”
Over 105 people RSVP’d for Thursday’s event which had refreshments, a photo booth run by local artist Lil Croissant, a raffle, music by DJ Fiera Ferari, anda live drag performance by local drag performers Mala and Poison Oakland of the Bimbos, as well as Princess Panocha.
Spring prom was the second event in the 2021-22 school year to have drag performance as the focal point of the event. According to Queer & Trans Resource Center Director Chloe Simson, drag performance is a fun way to introduce people to the queer community.
“We really wanted to showcase queer and trans talent,” Simson said. “And pride performers are also just incredible at bringing people together, and a lot of people on campus have not experienced drag performance before.”
Attendees were incredibly receptive to Thursday’s drag performance as the drag queens performed to hits such as Britney Spears’ “Lucky.” Princess Panocha, a drag performer at SF State’s spring prom event said this was their first drag performance at a college or university.
“I wasn’t really sure what it was going to be like going into it,” Princess Panocha said. “I wasn’t sure if drag was going to be viewed as too lowbrow in the university setting, but everyone really seemed to like it.”
Poison Oakland closed the prom with a performance to Selena’s “Dreaming of You,”which received a standing ovation. Princess Panocha and Mala joined her on stage for a final bow.
Princess Panocha performs at SF State’s QTRC spring prom in Jack Adams Hall on Thursday. This is the first time Drag Queen Princess Panocha performed at a University drag event. (Rashik Adhikari / Golden Gate Xpress)
