Detroit high school hosts ‘Girls-only prom’ for Muslim students

Both boys and phones were banned from the May 6 event


News Desk May 13, 2017
This year, around 250 attendees took part in 'Princess Prom'. PHOTO COURTESY: MAIL ONLINE

No boys, cell phones and hijabs were allowed, on May 6, at Hamtramck High School located in the heart of one of America's largest Muslim communities as students hosted a girls-only prom.

'Princess Prom' started five years ago by a group of Muslim students at Detroit-area high school which has a large Arab and Southeast-Asian population, said a Mail Online report.

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Amazingly, students have sustained the tradition, raising money and organising the substitute prom largely by themselves while the school continues to host its regular prom.

“We run it like an after-school club. We meet once a week throughout the year. The girls really carry it and lead the meetings,” said Caitlin Drinkard, a school counsellor who helps organise the event.

The concept of Muslim students-centred prom was introduced to 'create a comfortable and safe environment for girls who cannot attend the traditional co-ed prom for cultural [or religious] reasons'.

Around 250 attendees were present at this year's event and were open to all female students at the school. Students were also permitted to invite one female guest from another school.

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Since male students were banned from the event, the Muslim students could literally let down their hair by taking off their hijabs.

Cell phones were also prohibited so that no photos of the event or the unveiled girls could be posted on social media. However, the girls-only prom included a special room where attendees could go to use their phones if needed.

This story originally appeared on Mail Online

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