Feet stump to the beat of the speakers breathing. The speaker holds the mic to his lips, ever sound of the mouth is heard. On the stage with the speaker is a panel of judges in robes of glitter and feathers with smiles and bejewled nails. The excitment of the first walk vibrates through the underground room where the people of the soul live. The judges stir, the speark breaths into the mic and screams the catagory.
Paris is Burning.
Bring your best foot forward and tell me what you know about The Ballrooms. I want to see you strike a pose like the original drag queens and transwoman did before stonewall, before America made same sex mairrage legal—before we got our voices from them.
Paris is Buring is a documentary on Netflix showcasing the truth behind ballroom culture that has been long forgotten in main stream media. It breaks down the defintions of a walk, what the balls were, what the catagory’s ment.
But for those of us who fall asleep despite the masterpiece of a doctumentary I want to direct your attention to Pose. As a bisexual woman there’s nothing I love more than to see my community and I represented in the media way in a truthful, healthy, and postive way. Pose, is a show that potrays it’s character for their humanity.
Pose follows Blanca (Mj Rodriguez) an Afro-Latina trans woman through her journey once she discovers she has been digonised HVI positive. Blanca leaves her house, the House of Abundance to stay up her own house and make a mark in the world before the decease that has been terriozing her community takes it’s toll on her too. This show introduces us to wonderfull cast of characters.
Even Peter’s being one of the bigger names on the show plays a man who works in the tump tower and finds his way into the story when he meets Angel.
Indya Moore (Angel) is a trans Black woman who has to walk the piers for a living after being kicked out her home.
Billy Porter (Pray Tell) a Black gay man who is the speaker at the balls and Blanca’s best friend through out the show. He is not reduced to just that role though and is given his fair share in the story.
Every character in this show plays a role, they have a pupose that moves the narrative forward.
This FX show dives into the world of the balls, the terror that ruled during the AIDS empidemic and doesn’t shy away from the beauty, the ugly, and the realness of being part of the LGBTQ+ community in that era. It sturs emotions and teaches lessons we’ve forgotten and haven’t learned. The new generation is reminded of our past and the people who fought and suffered for us to be where we are here in the states.
Blanca takes in her kids and guides them through their balls, their life and tries to do right by them above all. Pose is about family and strength within our communities.