Paris is Burning - You Own Everything 🏳️🌈
By Hannah Schmidt-Rees
Since it's currently pride month, why not have a look at one of the most iconic and well-known cult documentaries focusing on black LGBT+ culture in the 1980s? Ever wondered where ‘reading’ and ‘throwing shade’ really came from? Here's a hint; it's not from Rupaul's Drag Race. The answer comes from somewhere a little more fabulous and lot more real. I initially wanted to write a PERSPEX article on the extravagant fashion worn by those in the film, but upon actually watching it, there are so many deeper issues presented that I feel are more important to write about.
Released in 1991, Paris is Burning is a documentary that presents the lives of those in the Harlem drag ball scene in the late 80s. Documenting the meeting point between urban poverty, queer identity and the marginalised black and latino community, Paris is Burning is a perfect example of how marginalised communities find success, love, family and confidence not in typical society, but in each other. The Harlem drag ball scene was a mixture of a pageant, a drag show and a party. Contestants would dress up according to a drag-themed category and 'walk the floor' (similar to walking in a runway), hoping to win various titles and trophies. Categories would include; 'military', 'realness' and 'butch queen'.
Suffering from the AIDS crisis at the time, an important part of Paris is Burning is the finding of family and community within each other. An integral part of the Harlem ball scene was the existence of 'houses' - think of it like a family tree - lead by a mother or a father, with the family name given to all members. Whilst these 'houses' can simply be treated as teams for the drag balls, they also served as 'found families' for the LGBT+ youth who were rejected from their biological families. The mother or father of the house often served as replacement parental figures, providing support and solace for their 'children'. Notable houses included the house of; Xtravaganza, Ninja and LaBeija. Whilst not directly addressed, the AIDS crisis serves as a formative pressure throughout the film. As Venus Xtravaganza mentions her mentor Hector Xtravaganza, the camera cuts to a polaroid photo of a man, written underneath; "Hector Xtravaganza - 1960 - 1985". No cause of death is officially mentioned, but it's not hard to see the connection between the ball scene community and the threat of AIDS in the 1980s. In the 1987 portion of the film, Angie Xtravaganza is seen showing off her bare torso, however in the 1989 portion, she is wearing a high collared dress so that camera couldn't see the lesions from her AIDS-related liver disease.
Venus Xtravaganza
One of the best parts of Paris is Burning is the raw and real presentation of transgender individuals. It's brilliant to see so many gender non-conforming individuals simply living their lives and being who they are. So many cisgender people think that transgender people have only existed in the 21st century, but guess what, they've been around for far longer than they think. One of the most notable characters is Venus Xtravaganza, a transgender women who is part of the House of Xtravaganza (lead by Angie Xtravaganza). Speaking openly about her lifestyle, Venus talks about being a sex worker and her dreams of becoming a "spoiled, rich, white girl". She details a time where a client once tried to kill after he found out she was trans. It's also revealed towards the end of the film by her mother Angie, that Venus was unfortunately murdered, found strangled in a hotel room. She was only 23.
Whilst it's fun to watch the opulent fashion created for the balls, the intense voguing competitions and the unique slang, we can't ignore the real-world problems presented in Paris is Burning. Trans women, especially trans women of colour are still being murdered. In 2018, at least 26 trans women of colour were violently killed in the US. It's sad that typically the biggest takeaway from this film, isn't the fact that marginalised communities, including the entire LGBT+ community and the minorities within it, still face legitimate threats to their livelihoods and their actual lives, regardless of the progress that we've made so far.
The most well-known legacy of Paris is Burning is the popularisation of certain phrases and slang within the LGBT+ community. If you've watched Rupaul's Drag Race, you'll definitely recognise these phrases, but did you know that they actually came from the black LGBT+ community in Paris is Burning? Such phrases as 'throwing shade' and 'reading' are explained within the film by drag performer Dorian Corey. Guess what? The majority of the most iconic parts of queer, drag and LGBT+ culture comes from the black and latino community, so it's not a bad idea to do some further research into LGBT+ history this pride month.
“I don’t have to tell you that you’re ugly… I don’t have to tell you because you know you’re ugly. That’s shade.”
As I said before, it's fun to enjoy Paris is Burning on a surface level, but the real-world problems presented can't be ignored. Being a documentary focused on the black LGBT+ community, the racism faced by those within the film is constantly referenced. Many of the interviewed individuals mention wanting to be rich white people, because of the freedom associated with the life of white individuals in 1980s America. Many categories within the balls were a reflection of white stereotypes, such as; 'executive realness' and 'schoolgirl/schoolboy realness’. These categories were used as a way to vicariously live a life without disadvantage.
“Black people have a hard time getting anywhere and those who do are usually straight. In a ballroom you can be anything you want. You’re not really an executive but you’re looking like an executive. You’re showing the straight world that I can be an executive if I had the opportunity because I can look like one, and that is like a fulfilment.”
“This is white America. And when it comes to the minorities; especially black - we as a people, for the past 400 years - is the greatest example of behaviour modification in the history of civilisation. WE have had everything taken away from us, and yet we have all learned how to survive. That is why, in the ballroom circuit, it is so obvious that if you have captured the great white way of living, or looking, or dressing, or speaking - you is a marvel.”
Unfortunately, more than half of the film's cast died young from AIDS-related illnesses within two years of the films release, not being able to see the immense influence their lifestyles had on society. Their slang, invention of voguing and the pageantry of drag has now become an ingrained part of current LGBT+ society, but it's origin is often forgotten. Whilst Madonna is often attributed to the creation of voguing (a form of dance referencing the dramatic poses in magazine editorials), she merely appropriated it from the black community. And as I mentioned before, Rupaul's Drag Race isn't the origins of popular LGBT+ slang either.
If you haven't already watched Paris is Burning, I highly encourage you to. It's available both on Netflix and on YouTube, and I’ve put the original theatrical trailer below. Also, there's a series called Pose which also explores the 1980s ball scene in New York. Starring Billy Porter and Indya Moore, it features five transgender actresses in regular roles and the biggest LGBT+ recurring cast in TV history. Oh, and it's also mainly written and produced by members of the queer community, including trans director Silas Howard.
Paris is Burning.
Having a ball… wish you were here.
