Prom was raised and immortalized in film and television, and exported across the world like so many McDonald’s restaurant franchises. In either case, the prom is deeply, unabashedly American. It is a regressive, heteronormative tradition rooted in conformity and consumerism with a long history of racism, classism, and homophobia. A rite of passage not to be missed.įor others, prom just sucks. The social culmination of their waning teenage adolescence. For some, it’s the greatest night of their young lives. Here’s a look at its history, as told by photos in Shutterstock’s Editorial Collection.
