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<\/p>\nValentine\u2019s Day weekend at the VORTEX in East Austin was more than the usual chocolates and flowers. The audience filing into the small black-box theater was lively \u2014 rocking dyed hair of various colors, leather vests, and vibrant patterned outfits. A cheetah print couch and bubblegum pink chairs were placed on stage.<\/p>\n
From Friday through Sunday, the performance venue became the home of Butch Prom, a self-described event series celebrating lesbian, queer and trans masculinity.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u200aWe’ve gone to queer events from a few different groups, and we’ve never really found our home base,” said Lee Farmer, who attended Saturday with his partner. “So I was really excited to find a place that was like queer [masculine].\u201d<\/p>\n
Each Butch Prom event is a little different. The first one last summer was a prom with a wrestling twist. For Halloween, it was a Monster Ball. For Valentine\u2019s weekend, the organizers decided to put on a staged gameshow called Masc4Match.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u200aIf you’ve ever seen The Dating Game,\u201d founder and co-producer Sophia Rumbarger said, \u201cthere’s a contestant, and then there are three eligible bachelors. We’re doing that, but as a drag show theater play.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Lorianne Willett<\/p>\n
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KUT News<\/p>\n
Performers dressed as Elvis Presley, Kermit the Frog and Pee-wee Herman compete for the affection of Miss Piggy.<\/p>\n
While the theme for each Butch Prom event changes, the central focus is designing a safe and fun space for people who present themselves in a masculine way.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s not about being exclusive. It’s specifically about creating space for something that may otherwise not be highlighted. Butch lesbians, people who identify as trans masculine, trans men, studs, boys,\u201d Rumbarger said. \u201cWe’re saying this party is for you, and it’s about you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rumbarger, who identifies as a “butch lesbian” \u2014 those who present as more masculine \u2014 came up with the idea with a friend. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe wanted to attend more events that were geared toward women like us,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
She never saw the idea growing beyond her own backyard, though, until she discussed it with Olivia Emigh.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember her saying something that changed my perspective entirely,\u201d Rumbarger said. \u201cShe said, \u2018You don’t have to do that at your house; you can do that at a bar.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Emigh had wanted to produce something from the ground up that centered queer joy. One of her first ideas was a play on WrestleMania that would be rooted in masculinity. She started meeting regularly with Rumbarger to outline the first prom. The event would feature various activities like wrestling, shotgunning beers and crowning a prom king.<\/p>\n
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