Alina Rose Chen Photos
Drag queen Bleach—"America's Third Favorite Cleaner"—performs at this year's Pride Prom.
Surrounded by racks of vibrant clothing and a table piled with shoes in every size, style, and shade, four friends laughed and traded fashion finds as they got ready for Royalty Runway, a celebratory fashion show capping off this year’s Pride Prom, where attendees showcased their style — and their struts.
Friends, including Shane and Ash, pose for a selfie before Royalty Runway.
Friends Ash, Shane, and Gray met through the New Haven Pride Center (NHPC) and decided to attend Pride Prom together after a friend’s mother spotted the event in the Center’s newsletter. As they spoke with the Independent, their closeness — and the support they offer one another — shone through.
“For me, it’s just about getting out of the house and having fun,” said Ash, a 15-year-old high school student from Branford. “I’ve been in chemotherapy for three years, and after that, I didn’t really have anyone to talk to — so I started going to these meetings, and I made friends.”
Pride Prom returned Saturday night at United Church on the Green, where a live DJ, photo booth, and plenty of food and drinks kept the celebration going. While the event has been held in years past, this marked its first return since the pandemic. In the fall, the church partnered with the NHPC, along with sponsors Meriden Pride, North Haven Pride, and the queer youth organization Q Plus, to bring the event back to life.
Throughout the night, hosts and drag performers Bleach and Azula kept the energy high with lively performances to hit songs, earning enthusiastic cheers and playful tips in the form of impressively realistic $100 bills. Between sets, they shared personal stories and encouraged attendees to find strength in community and continue uplifting one another, especially during a time when queer and trans youth face growing challenges.
“I wish I could have had something like this when I was younger — I would have been probably more comfortable to be myself earlier in life,” Azula said to the Independent.
“All the energy in the room, with everyone being so united and coming together — it really says a lot. The fact that we’re doing this in this political climate, with resources getting stripped away from us — we’re saying ‘Screw that, we’re still going to go forth and celebrate what we have to celebrate, whether we have funds or not.’”
“One of the things that’s deeply important to us is that people of good faith — particularly in this time in which we live — have got to live and love out loud,” Rev. Dr. Ray said. “The church has a long, long history of being engaged in social action, being engaged in works for justice. We were one of the first churches in Connecticut to become open and affirming back in 1989, which means we welcome anyone. That’s been our history, and that’s what we are.”
That spirit of affirmation extended throughout the evening, and was one of the key goals of NHPC Youth Services Coordinator Kylee Herold, who organized and brought the event together. In addition to the main dance hall, the event provided affirming clothing and makeup, as well as a “chill space” away from the loud music.
“We wanted to provide a space where they could have a prom environment, but be 100 percent themselves, and have no fear of judgement or discrimination,” Herold said. “This is a space where kids get to be normal kids, but also 100 percent their realest identities.”
Twins Shane and Grey, who are 15 and hail from Manchester, spoke to the community that they have found through events like Pride Prom and other NHPC events.
“I’m just really happy to be around people who have been going through the same stuff as I or my friends would,” Shane said. “It’s a great way to make new friends and just connect with different types of people — it’s been really amazing.”
Drag queen Azula demonstrates her signature strut for attendees during the Royalty Runway segment of the night.