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When Cristian Hernandez was named prom king of his Indiana high school, the 18-year-old senior — standing next to his four suit-wearing competitors — barely missed a beat before strutting down the red carpet in a black sequined gown, blond wig and feather boa to collect his crown.
“Honestly, when I walked out there, I left everybody speechless,” said Hernandez, who is nonbinary and uses he and they pronouns.
Donning full drag is no easy task, though. Hernandez said it took him five hours to prepare for his evening, including full hair and makeup. But, he added, the extra effort wasn’t all for the glamor.
“I want to inspire people to try and break down those barriers that have been put up,” he said.