Lachlan Watson Wants Everyone to Feel Included at Their Prom
Before the premiere of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina last year, it feels like I tried on a hundred different outfits. Suits, button-down shirts, pants, sneakers — but nothing felt right. Then I put on something that stunned me, something that made me feel exactly like my most authentic and confident self: a black REDValentino dress. Stepping onto the red carpet, I felt like a million bucks. But then I started to notice the strange looks, hearing the questions and comments: “Why are you wearing a dress?” “That’s just not what I expected you to be wearing.” “I thought you are non-binary. You don’t look non-binary.”
Being in the space of not identifying as being a male or a female, and not conforming to societal expectations of how I should look and dress, I’ve faced my share of prejudice (even within my own community) about what a non-binary person should look like. I’ve experienced that on a public stage like a red carpet premiere event, and, like many other young LGBTQ+ people across the country, I had upcoming anxiety about experiencing it on another stage: prom.
Prom is a milestone marking the end of high school. What should be a right of passage for young people is a night that drums up anxiety for many LGBTQ+ students. A night where they might feel judged or discriminated against. Another one of those landmark high school occasions that can feel more defeating than celebratory. And one of the biggest questions surrounding prom is always: what are you wearing?
In the past, I’ve felt pressured to wear an outfit that aesthetically represented how I identified at that point of time, whether it was when I identified as a lesbian or a trans man. Currently, I identify as non-binary. And I know that thousands of students across the country will experience that same pressure this year on prom night. I don’t want what I choose to wear to ever be constricted by the expectations of others, and I certainly want that same freedom for young people all over the country, especially on prom night. So much so that I’ve joined the official Take Back the Prom movement from DoSomething.org to help ensure that 2019 is the most inclusive prom year to date.
This year, I went to prom with my best friend. I wore something that made me feel the most comfortable and beautiful: a bright red silk sheath dress. It was a dress in which I felt like prom royalty — not a queen, not a king, just truly special and truly myself. The only comments on my outfit this time were in regards to how amazing I looked. Truth is, it was me who made the dress so comfortable and confident. With the confidence I now have, I could have been in a potato sack and felt beautiful, but wearing that red dress is something I’ll never forget wearing.
Being able to dance the night away with my friends, to Rihanna’s "Pon de Replay," of course, was the cap on an amazing high school experience that I can only wish for other young people to have. Being accepted for who I am at my prom, and not feeling the pressure to conform, really gave me hope as I wrap up high school. There will be so many "big" moments as I continue my journey, but being able to be included and welcomed at prom was something special I won't take for granted.
If you’re anxious about showing up to prom dressed as your authentic self, I’d urge you to break the mold; to put an end to the idea that clothing reinforces a binary. And if you see anyone at prom who is expressing their most authentic self, even if they’re not conforming to your standard notion of clothing, reserve your judgment and know that everyone deserves to live freely and unapologetically. You never know how long someone has struggled to accept themselves fully and truly. Everyone should be able to enjoy the magic of their prom night, no matter their gender identity or what they're wearing.
Find out more about DoSomething.org's "Take Back the Prom" campaign on their website. The organization is also running an anxiety text-line for prom. Have a question or concern about your upcoming Prom? Text PROM to 38383.
Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
