The senior class elected Chronicle Print Managing Editor Anthony Weinraub ’18 and Chronicle Digital Managing Editor Eli Adler ’18 to the first ever Prom Court on May 19, making this the first time the student body has voted for a gender non-specific Prom Court instead of the traditional Prom King and Queen.

In an effort to promote more diversity, equity and inclusion on campus, Prefect Council changed Prom King and Queen to Prom Court this year, Upper School Dean Sharon Cuseo said.

“As we have moved from fewer gendered things at this school, this seemed like a remnant that needed to be changed,” Cuseo said. “We got rid of unnecessary gender distinctions like the colors of the graduation gowns, so this also seemed like, ‘why should we force people to choose a female and a male?’”

This year, students voted for candidates without requirements for gender and the students who received the most votes at prom were crowned.

“The traditional voting system was just based upon tradition without any actual rationale behind it, and I think it’s just one of those cases where just because it has always been that way doesn’t mean it has to persist,” Weinraub said.

Prefect Council decided to change Prom King and Queen to Prom Court this year in order to honor the voices that expressed a desire to eliminate unnecessary gender restrictions regarding Prom elections, Junior Prefect Caroline Cook said.

“It ties into the idea that there is no point in putting labels on people or things in boxes,” Adler said. “It’s reflective of the whole notion that these distinctions aren’t as binary as one may think they are.”

The announcement that the couple won the most votes sparked cheers and expressions of happiness from the members of the senior class as the two took to the dance floor, Cook said.