It’s that time of year again: Dressed to the nines for the long-held high school tradition, high school seniors are taking their prom game to new heights with the addition of live goats. Why a goat, you may ask? The creative 12th graders are posing with the barnyard animals in their festivities thanks to inspiration from NBA Hall of Famer and basketball icon Michael Jordan.
This critter craze for the farm animal is an ode to Jordan, who sported the famous No. 23 jersey during his basketball glory days with the Chicago Bulls. His victory-riddled career solidified the now-retired athlete as the revered sports “GOAT” or “greatest of all time.” So, in honor of the NBA legend, Gen Zers are going all out by renting livestock to end their senior years of high school in MJ-like style. But, rather than only donning tuxedos, dresses, corsages and boutonnières, they are posing next to the animal to say, “We, too, are the greatest of all time.”
Amanda and Chad Hudgins, owners of Atlanta-based grazing company Get Your Goat Rental, saw an opportunity in the slower winter months to profit off the ubiquity of the GOAT acronym. As Amanda Hudgins told Insider, the company’s first prom gig came in March when high school senior Trevian White hired them to bring a goat named Paddy to downtown Atlanta.
Since then, the rental company has conducted 20 prom photoshoots with goats and expects to have completed up to 100 by the end of the school year.
“We’re the class of 2023, and people have been referring to our class as the ‘Jordan year,’ because that was his number,” 17-year-old Jaylyn Robertson told the New York Post.
Gen Z is bringing goats to prom — thanks to Michael Jordan https://t.co/w0b20ZTN8W pic.twitter.com/0W6eYjzaEn
— New York Post (@nypost) April 20, 2023
It’s gaining lots of attention on social media. TikToker @steezyjayhh’s video reached 355,000 likes, where he sports an all-white tuxedo ensemble with blue accents and a gold chain. The high schooler poses with his brown-and-white speckled goat before a white Porsche.
As user @duhh.itskera poses in a sparkly blue prom gown and matching heels, a goat tugs at a purple leash Mi’Kera holds in a TikTok video, surpassing 2.9 million views.
@duhh.itskera P R O M M M M 💙🐐! #prom #prom23 #prom2k23 #goat #blowthisup #viral #fyp #foryoupage
The strange new trend elicits mixed reactions, with some praising the viral pictures while others call the photoshoots “tacky.” Comments range from “GOATED!” to “so unnecessary.”
@1novaskye #duet with @b.danz37 #bigdanz #greenscreen #prom 2k23 4/14 @kalissiajackson0 the GOAT babygirl started the wave! #dothanprom #dothanalabama #promgoat
It may be reaching, but the Gen Zers are making the trend their own and not letting anyone bring them down for it. As the sensation catches on, we will see more prom-goers with Insta and TikTok-ready goats. So here’s to the class of ’23 — the year of the GOAT.
