LOS ANGELES — Under the inclusive motto “Come As You Are,” Flaming Hearts Media (FHM) and Grooby hosted their first annual Queer Prom on Wednesday at the Avalon in the heart of Hollywood.
Bolstered by the generous support of a who’s-who of industry and creator sponsors, including XBIZ and Pornhub, the inaugural Queer Prom was a resounding success, with LGBTQ+ creators and their industry friends enjoying a “do-over” of that most iconic of high-school events, prom — only this time, with the freedom to shine as their authentic selves.
Attendees entering the event walked a rainbow carpet, where they were photographed in all their glitz and glamour, and interviewed by carpet host extraordinaire Banksie.
FHM is co-led by Kristel Penn and Foxxy, and both were on hand for the festivities. In an impeccable prom suit, Penn spoke with XBIZ about the genesis of the event.
“A year ago, Foxxy and I did this random TikTok trend where we got to see what we would look like as our most authentic selves, and we talked about what it would be like to go to prom that way,” said Penn, taking a moment away from making sure that everything was running smoothly. “I threw around the idea of doing our own prom, and Foxxy said, ‘Why don’t we just do it?’ And it was that simple — so we’ve been planning this for a long time.”
Penn added that they did attend their high-school prom, but — crucially — not as their most authentic self.
“I got bullied a lot,” they explained, “so I didn’t get to dress how I wanted to, or look like I wanted to, or go with whom I wanted. Tonight is an opportunity to make this right for me and my community, in a fun and wholesome way.”
Everyone mingled at the massive Avalon ballroom in a safe, queer-friendly atmosphere that was inclusive of all, regardless of sexual identity. Trans women in particular could flaunt expressive fashions in a relaxed environment that allowed for maximum fabulosity, as DJs spun a crowd-pleasing playlist of current and nostalgic dance and pop hits — and all without the undercurrent of competition that is baked into awards events.
“We are here just to have fun,” a radiant Foxxy — a dead ringer for J.Lo in her iconic green Oscar dress — told XBIZ. “We do so many awards events and expos, but we wanted this event to be just ‘dress up and have fun.’ It’s all of the industry and friends and supporters coming together to have a night of pure, pure fun.”
Industry veteran Rae Threat, representing Queer Prom sponsor APClips, enthused, “We want to support the queer community. I’m a huge advocate for more representation and I just love that this is happening. We are here as allies. AP Clips has a lot of queer creators and we love to support them with events like this.”
Over by the bar, creator and event sponsor Bea York received endless compliments on her eye-catching princess dress, which she described as “a cake-topper.”
“I look like a cupcake!” York exclaimed. “I fell in love with this dress — it’s buttercream color, fluffy with a train and floral print. I look like a fairy-tale princess… who also does porn!”
York said that it was very important for her to support Queer Prom.
“I wanted to make up for all the shitty proms that myself and some of the other people had during high school,” she added. “Despite how I present myself now, I did not go to my own high-school prom — I was one of the outcast kids. So this was a nice do-over. To have a good, happy experience and to present themselves as their authentic selves.”
Another head-turner was Brittney Kade, a vision in layers upon layers of pink, who arrived to the event escorted by PornCrush’s Austin King.
Kade told XBIZ that her outfit was an original collaboration between her and a designer.
“It has a butterfly in the very back, corsetted down,” she explained. “It’s meant to represent my transition and I’m obsessed with it! It represents everything I went through to be where I am today.”
Kade added that she picked pink because she loves Barbie.
“I think Barbie would be proud,” she said. “I actually went to my high school prom a few years ago, but I didn’t have enough money for the prom dress I really wanted. So this year, I splurged, and went out and designed the perfect dress.”
On a lighter note, Kade confessed her favorite prom scene is in the movie “Carrie,” when Sissy Spacek has pig’s blood poured all over her.
“I’m so ready for my bucket of blood!” she joked.
Another standout attendee, Chanel Santini, sported a much-admired green princess dress topped by a tiara.
“I thrifted it from It’s a Wrap,” Santini confessed, name-checking the landmark Burbank store that recycles costumes worn in film and television.
“It was in a movie or something, it was gorgeous and I grabbed it off the wall and I had it altered to fit me,” she explained. “I wanted to have my Cinderella moment. I never got to go to prom in high school.”
Foxxy stressed the main theme of the evening: how this newest event in the adult industry social calendar allows the LGBTQ+ community, friends and allies to relive prom night, and get it right this time.
“A lot of us never got to go to prom as we are now,” she explained. “Some of us were transitioning, some of us didn’t feel comfortable, some of us got disowned by family or were teased in high school for being who we are.”
Like Penn, Foxxy went to her high-school prom but the experience did not reflect her authentic self.
“I was a very feminine boy and I had girls wanting to come with me, because I was known for being a dancer in high school, and I was in the newspapers and local magazines, on the news,” she reminisces. “But I still needed to know who I was. I didn’t even know what trans was! In my community, there weren’t a lot of trans people.”
The reality could not have been more different Wednesday night at the Avalon, as everyone truly “came as they are.” Looking around, Foxxy admitted that she has always loved “the cheesy, slow-dance sequence at the end of a movie, where the romantic leads come together in this syrupy kind of moment.”
“I want all the cheese!” she declared.
Right on cue, the DJ started mixing up current hits of 2024 with what she called “all the great ’80s love songs, especially for slow dancing.”
The dance floor filled up to the strains of k.d. lang’s “Constant Craving,” today’s biggest cult-gone-mainstream banger “Pink Pony Club” by newly minted LGBTQ+ royalty Chappell Roan and Miss Lana Del Rey’s “Summertime Sadness,” culminating in now-revered LGBTQ+ elder George Michael with his timeless, irony-proof “Careless Whisper.”
The zenith of the evening: a group photo where all the industry photographers captured the joy and freedom of a community’s authentic expression.
“Look at this — queer youth should always remember it gets better,” Penn reflected. “It really, really does, but you’ve got to be around for it. You’ve got to stick around for it. And here we are! We did it! This outcome is so fabulous. It means so much for everyone not only to support the event, but each other. We are here as a community.”
