Gay

Back in his small Iowa hometown, Tate attended his high school senior prom by himself, dressed in slacks and a tie. It was an awkward night, one he likened to standing outside a window watching people inside having fun at a gathering that "was not designed for you," said 24-year-old Tate, a Silver Spring, Md., accountant who is biologically female, but presents a masculine exterior in clothing and mannerism. He prefers the masculine pronoun to refer to himself, and does not use his legal first name, listing himself as D. Tate on his company directory. "I didn't experience prom in the same fashion that the rest of the kids did," said Tate, who grew up in Coon Rapids, Iowa, where he attended his 2002 senior prom. But Tate got a second chance last year at D.C.'s Capital Queer Prom, where, to his surprise, he was crowned prom king. The third annual event takes place Saturday, and gives gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender adults the chance to recreate the high school prom they never experienced. For some, it's simply an opportunity to get gussied up and enjoy a fun night. Advocates say Capital Queer Prom is similar to a few events across the country, though not as common as gay youth proms held by advocacy groups nationwide. Miami's Pridelines Youth Services started holding an "adult gala" four years ago after adults who chaperoned the group's annual gay youth prom clamored for their own shindig, executive director Luigi Ferrer said.

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