ABSTRACT
The high school prom is an iconic event in American culture, central not only to images of the “typical” American teen but also to our image of the American high school. To say that proms are a big deal in high school is to state the obvious. Most U.S. high schools today organize a senior prom each year and many a junior prom as well. By the time students graduate from high school, many have attended several proms. A much anticipated event for most juniors and seniors, proms tend to take on a larger-than-life importance. It is not uncommon for prom planning to begin early in the year as teachers and students (usually young women) assemble after school to make the most important prom decisions. By the time spring arrives, proms are the focal point of school life. The flurry of talk about who’s taking whom, who’s wearing what, and plans for after the prom often fills the halls between classes and spills over into cafeterias. It is the voices of young women that are most frequently heard as conversations among friends turn to the topic of the prom.
