Paris is still burning!

by Mahkesha Hogg
LGBT Black Issues Columnist

“The library is open,” “Reading is Fundamental.” “He/She better work!” “Voguing” are all terms used by the African American and Latino Drag Queens, Transgendered people, and even bio woman (biologically born females) from the inner city of New York in the documentary Paris is Burning. The film was made in the late 1980’s and premiered in 1990. Paris is Burning was Directed by Jennie Livingston and documents the Harlem drag balls in which participants would model in their category up and down the floor (their runway) and received scores from the panel of judges. Many of them lived impoverished lives but when they performed they felt like glamorous superstars!

The participants, also known as “ball walkers,” tried their best to represent realness in categories such as “executive realness” in which they dressed and acted the part of a business man or woman. “School boy,” “femme realness/real fish” (look and act like a bio woman), “straight man” (usually displayed construction workers or masculine acting models), military, and the most interesting of them all - “Banjee” (urban acting with a fierce attitude). The audience is referred to as “the children” and the MC would often say things like, “show the children your realness.”

Iconic phrases, used by drag queens of today, were created from this culture. “Reading” meant that you were sizing up the other person and picking out their unflattering qualities so that you can throw “shade” (an insult) at them later if they were to “come for you” (start to insult your style). As Bianca Del Rio, a Latino Drag Superstar, says, “I’m building up a rolodex of hate,” referring to keeping a list of insults in her mind for when the shading comes her way. Some may think that this would lead to fighting, but really it is a form of flattery used between Queens all the time and quite entertaining comedy at drag shows. They usually know what line not to cross with each other unless they are really wanting to hurt their feelings.

Their ballroom culture included “houses” which were like cliques and had a “house mother” who governed and was in charge of accepting new members. Since many of them were ostracized or kicked out by their biological families, the houses were a safe haven in which they would provide shelter, food, clothing or anything else needed for each other. The houses had names such as “The House of Xtravaganza” or “The House of La Beija.” The members of the house would create their own first names and have the house name as their last name. Some of them jokingly referred to them as the “gay street gang” because they were so fiercely competitive. Awards were given to the best house or best mother.

Sorry to tell you that “voguing” was not created by Madonna. Madonna was told about these ball room battles by her LGBT dancers and decided to create a song called Vogue and featured the style of dance in her video. Compared to the voguing in the film, Madonna’s version of voguing was very toned down and mostly used hand motions. The idea of voguing came from the ball walkers mimicking poses seen in the fashion magazines. They were simply putting the poses in motion to music in a fabulous entertaining way. This style of dance even gained media attention in which newscasters bragged about the uniqueness of the balls.

The ball room competitions still continue today and have kept and added traditions. The balls also act as fundraisers to help fund and create awareness about disparities such as the HIV/AIDS crisis that has affected many African American and Latino people in their community. This documentary which explored race, class, and gender roles was a box office hit in the 90’s and is still used as a reference of guidance to educate the new drag queens where their roots came from. The title Paris is Burning can be left up to interpretation since it was not blatantly discussed. I view it as this: Paris is the center of fashion and if the fashion and expression is hot then it is burning. Their ball room was Paris and they intended to set it on fire with their flames of creativity.

The Gayly – September 21, 2015 @ 4pm.