Senior prom. Bar and bat mitzvahs. Confirmation. Sweet 16. Quinceañeras.

What rites of passage do you celebrate? How does your family or community observe and honor the important milestones in your life? Why are these rites and rituals so important to growing up?

Until recently, quinceañeras were reserved for girls. In “Meet the Latino Boys Decked Out for Their Version of the Quinceañera,” Christina Morales, with photographs and video by Christopher Lee, writes about the young men looking to celebrate their entry into adulthood with their own, often lavish, quinceañero parties:

On a Saturday last fall, a Mexican American teenager in Corpus Christi, Texas, had everything planned out for a coming-of-age party. It would have custom-made jewelry, a string quartet to play renditions of pop songs and a group of high school freshmen in black tailcoat tuxedos to perform a dance.

This may sound like a classic quinceañera for a 15-year-old girl marking her transition to womanhood. But on that day, the spotlight was on Javier Calderon, a 15-year-old boy celebrating becoming a man.

Mr. Calderon is part of a growing number of young Latin American boys embracing the centuries-old tradition that until recently has been reserved for girls — a trend that represents one way that Latinos are adapting the custom in the United States.

“I wanted to show everyone what I wanted to be,” Mr. Calderon said. “I’m turning into a teenager.”

Some boys are asking their parents for a party of their own. Mothers without daughters are begging their sons to have a quinceañero, the name of the celebration for boys. At times, the idea that a boy should have his own party has been contentious, especially for older Latinos who deeply value tradition.

Quinceañeras typically celebrate a girl’s entry into adulthood on her 15th birthday, with the term deriving from the Spanish word quince, which means 15. The parties tend to be elaborate and big, and can cost as much as a wedding.

Quinceañeros have been no exception — some parents are spending up to $70,000 to host them for their 15-year-old boys. And some see these parties as a way to push back against the socially conservative gender roles many Latinos grow up with.

The article continues:

At the beginning of his quinceañero, Mr. Calderon walked into the ballroom where the celebration was held in a purple tuxedo as the master of ceremonies introduced him as a prince. His guests were seated in tables with twinkling gold crowns as centerpieces. By the end of the night, Mr. Calderon sat on a throne in the center of the room and was ordained a king.

Despite the support from dozens of family members and friends, some decided not to attend Mr. Calderon’s party. His mother, Anna Garcia, said some had thought that this typically feminine celebration — often with poofy dresses and tiaras — was not appropriate for men.

“It comes with a stigma,” Ms. Garcia said. “They think he’s not manly. It reflects on his sexuality. In reality, it’s for both females and males. They’re both transitioning in life.”

Students, read the entire article and look at the videos and photos, and then tell us:

• Describe a particular milestone in your life and what your family or community did to recognize or honor the occasion. What significance did the celebration or ritual have then and now? Did it change how you viewed yourself, or how others saw you?

• Does your family or community mark the transition to adulthood in any special ways? Have you had a quinceañero or quinceañera or attended one? If so, what was that experience like?

• “I wanted to show everyone what I wanted to be,” said Javier Calderon, whose quinceañero is featured in the article. “I’m turning into a teenager.” Does that resonate with your own feelings about becoming a teen? Which of the young men and their coming-of-age celebrations did you find most interesting, memorable or relatable? Does the article make you want to have a quinceañero or something like it? Why or why not?

• In many cultures, boys and girls have different rites of passage. Is that true in your culture? Should there be distinct and different traditions based on gender? In your point of view, what is more important: to keep doing things in the traditional way, or to adapt customs to changing times?

• Why are rites of passage so important to young people and to society as a whole? What do you think would be lost if we didn’t have any?

• What would be your dream coming-of-age celebration? What activities, ceremonies, themes or traditions would you want to include? Whom would you want to attend?

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.