Somerville High School seniors Learsi Ferrer and Miranda Melanson have been dating for over four years and they couldn't wait to attend prom together. Although it would have been a memorable night no matter what, the event took an especially meaningful turn when both young women were elected prom queen for the second year in a row.
Ferrer and Melanson understandably didn't want to compete with one another for the crown. Last year Melanson asked their class adviser, Kevin Dua, if same-sex couples could be allowed on the ballot for prom court. He immediately approved the request. “It was common sense to us,” Dua said. “These two have been in a loving relationship, and they deserve to represent our class.”
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The couple was thrilled and surprised to bring home the crowns in 2016 — and, this year, they became the first same-sex couple on the senior prom ballot. Ferrer got dressed up in a beautiful black floor-length gown, while Melanson used several suits and tuxedos to piece together her own look. They had a blast dancing at the Boston Marriott Hotel’s ballroom in Cambridge and, when the DJ stopped the music to announce the winners, Ferrer and Melanson were both crowned prom queens once again.
"It was a shocking moment, but yet felt completely normal," Ferrer told Teen Vogue. "Not only were we elected twice but everyone acted as if we won for the first time." Melanson added that "everyone was just as excited as we were."
The teens say that it felt normal for them because same-sex couples are accepted at their high school — but Ferrer and Melanson are well-aware that it's not like that everywhere. They hope their story will inspire other school administrations to promote an inclusive environment.
"[I hope] other schools across the country or even the world will see us or any couple and hope to change their school system so that kids like me have a chance of feeling included and themselves," Melanson told Teen Vogue.
Next up, the couple will attend Bunker Hill Community College together. Ferrer plans to transfer to Salem State University's nursing program, while Melanson hopes to transfer to Boston University or Northeastern University to study Business Management or Finance.