ju s t out ▼ m ay 10. 199 7 ▼ 19
Same-sex dating at high school proms
in Oregon is still rare enough
to warrant attention and this year
there is twice as much to celebrate
,
by E. Ann Hinds ▼ photos by Linda Kliewer
igh school proms are a rite of spring, and for teens they are a rite
of passage. For many sexual minority youth, however, this rite is
a developmental milestone that is missed or incomplete because of
society’s bias.
Just Out is proud to acknowledge a group of young people who were
able to overcome prejudice and politics to take their places in this annual
rite. This year’s celebrants at the West Linn High School prom included
twins, lesbian Ilanya and bisexual Ina Strauss. Their dates were Alaina Cox
and Mark Hoffmann, respectively.
Photographer Linda Kliewer captured some of the pre-prom rituals:
Ilanya and Mark arriving in their tuxes, the exchanging of flowers, excited
family and friends photographing the couples, as well as the four relishing
the luxurious interior of their stretch limo.
Ileana and Keith Strauss are active members of Portland’s Parents,
Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays chapter and have worked hard
to support their daughters in their school and social lives. Parents of all four
of the teenagers, as well as friends and relatives, were at the Strauss home
to see the couples off to the prom.
We’ve since heard that the May 3 event was a huge success. The happy
couples topped it off by fixing themselves a sunrise breakfast of French
toast at the home of Mark Hoffmann in West Linn. Just Out thanks all of
those involved for sharing this event with our readers.
H
Top: Ilanya and Alaina with
familial paparazzi lined up
near the limo; bottom:
Ilanya, Alaina, Ina and
Mark enjoy the luxury o f
the stretch limo