Since 2023, ASU students have come together on the Polytechnic campus in the spring for Pride Prom.
This spring, there will be a dance, but the event is taking on a new name, leaving attendees confused. A post from the Polytechnic Barrett, The Honors College, Instagram counterintuitively stated that Poly Prom is back on Feb. 20.
Prism, an LGBTQ+ community and advocacy group on the Polytechnic campus, became one of the organizations students turned to, wondering if the event was still the same despite the name change, said Morgan Parker, a junior studying preveterinary medicine and treasurer for Prism.
"People came to us for answers, being the officers of the club, and we didn't have answers for them, unfortunately," he said.
Parker said he knew people who had really looked forward to one of the biggest events catered to the LGBTQ+ community at ASU. Many were shocked and confused about the event rebrand.
El Smith, a senior studying Earth and environmental sciences, said they were initially unsure if Poly Prom was the same event as Pride Prom, since there was no clear indicator tying the two events together.
"It took a lot of talking to other people for me to figure out, OK, Poly Prom is kind of the same event, but with a different name and with all the queer themes removed," Smith said. "So it took me a minute before I realized."
For Smith, Pride Prom was a tradition they had participated in since their freshman year. They said going to the Pride Prom was an amazing way of celebrating and exploring their queer identity, while meeting other queer people.
"I feel really sad for the freshmen that come in this year," Smith said. "They won't have a place that's just for themselves to meet other queer people, to be able to talk about that part of themselves without feeling like they might be judged or even hurt by another student."
When asked about the rebrand, a University spokesperson said in a written statement, "The university and Barrett, The Honors College host activities that celebrate student connection and ASU events are open to all students."
The 2025 Pride Prom page invited students to immerse themselves "in a vibrant evening honoring countries where same-sex marriage is proudly legalized."
This year's registration form for the Poly Prom includes a bold and colored accent stating that the event is "Open to all ASU students." However, some LGBTQ+ individuals feel that, though the name change makes the event more inclusive, it removes their representation.
"While I love the idea of making sure that everyone can go experience all events," Smith said, "It's also important that we also learn about why certain events might be catered more towards certain people and celebrating certain identities, because said identities aren't always readily accepted."
Parker said he would have liked more communication from the University. Smith said it feels like ASU is trying to "slide it under the rug" and change the name for a reason not disclosed to students.
"We can tell things, names are being changed, events are different than they were last year," Smith said. "So I would just prefer they come out and say what they plan on doing, rather than try to just change it around and pretend like nothing is changing."
In a similar pattern, Smith noted another event that had a recent name change. Previously known as Barrett's Annual Ladies' Tea, the event is now called Barrett Afternoon Tea, de-centering the event's focus on women.
A University spokesperson confirmed the name change, emphasizing that the University aims to host activities inclusive to all ASU students.
Due to the disappointment the rebrand caused the LGBTQ+ community, Prism is organizing Rainbow Royale — an explicitly queer accepting prom event that will welcome anybody who wants to join.
Sophia Page, a senior studying applied biological sciences and a part of the leadership team for Prism, said, "We (are) hosting this event because we want there to be options for students."
The event's theme is Barbie and will be held on April 10 in the Sun Devil Fitness Complex on the Polytechnic campus.
Parker said Rainbow Royale is meant to be an event that LGBTQ+ community members can attend without fear.
"We know a lot of people in the community who have previously felt uncomfortable attending certain events, just not knowing if they were going to be accepted there," Parker said. "It's really important to host something and to have that available to students where they can attend safely."
Edited by Natalia Rodriguez, Henry Smardo, Emilio Alvarado, Katrina Michalak and Ellis Preston.
Reach the reporter at dkovalen@asu.edu.
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Diana reports on ASU’s diverse community and culture for The State Press. She is pursuing a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a minor in Political Science. In addition, she is a reporter for The Cut Network and a radio host at Blaze Radio.
