PBS Short Docs

Senior Prom

For so many American high schoolers, prom is a rite of passage in all its high-expectation, love-filled, well-coiffed, abundantly photographed glory. But for LGBTQ generations that grew up in the decades before the Stonewall Riots, prom was emblematic of the exclusion and fear of living in a world they could not experience as their authentic selves. At Triangle Square, a haven for LGBTQ retirees in Hollywood, California, the idea of a “senior” prom has taken on an entirely new meaning. Tapping into their teenage selves, these liberated seniors ready themselves for the hottest event on the Triangle Square social calendar, reflecting back on who they were and how far they’ve come makes their prom night all the sweeter.