University hosts HIV testing at 'Queer Prom' for 14 year olds
Pacific Lutheran University hosted a 'Queer Prom' on May 10 that was run by a local 'queer youth' organization.
The event serves as an annual gathering intended for youth as young as 14 'to come experience queer joy and engage with community resources.'
Pacific Lutheran University (PLU), located in Tacoma, Washington, hosted a “Queer Prom” on May 10 in collaboration with a local “queer youth” organization.
The event serves as an annual gathering intended for youth as young as 14 “to come experience queer joy and engage with community resources.” The theme for this year was “Detective Dance: The Case of the Horse Heist.”
The sign-up sheet for the dance asked attendees to list information including personal pronouns and offered 8 specific options for sexual orientation and 7 different genders to choose from.
“Oasis’ Queer Prom is for LGBTQ+ and allied youth ages 14-24 years old,” the registration form read. The event was advertised as promoting prices and free HIV testing.
While the dance was held on PLU’s campus, the Oasis Youth Center was the primary organizer of the event. The organization’s “about us” page states that it “transforms the lives of queer and questioning youth by creating a safe place to learn, connect, and thrive” while also providing the “support necessary for making meaningful and healthy life choices.”
Other events run by Oasis include a “Queer, Trans, and Intersex Persons of Color (QTIPOC) Retreat” and a “Pride BBQ.” The group’s values include initiatives such as “[s]upporting and empowering youth,” “providing essential resources,” and “[p]romoting cultural diversity.”
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In a statement provided to Campus Reform, the Washington State Department of Health confirmed that the “Oasis Youth Center is also a grant recipient from the Department of Health’s Commercial Tobacco Prevention Program (CTPP) and the Cannabis Prevention and Education Program (CPEP).”
A department official also clarified that this specific event was not sponsored by the state.
Campus Reform has contacted Pacific Lutheran University and the Oasis Youth Center for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.