Burn Baby Burn

I thought this movie a good choice with all that is happening in the world today with the Paris incidents. To my surprise, this movie had nothing to do with Paris what so ever. It starts off by stating the time and place of New York City in 1987, and shows the drag scene that is underground and hidden to someone who did not know it was happening. The men, or women would compete in, Balls as they were called, where they would perform in a category. This would be the closest thing that they would have to being in the spotlight or famous. Other people came as well because it was a form of entertainment for them. Ultimately their goal was to become Legendary like Pepper Labeija or Kim Pendavis or Willi Ninja.

Pepper said in the beginning of the film, "You have three strikes against you in this world, every black man has two. Being black and being a male, but if you're black and you're male and you're gay, you're going to have a hard F*$&ing time!" At this point in time there is a major separation in the gay and straight community. People are embarrassed of their children's choices to be this way and kick them out of their household. To be accepted they find or form Houses that is a family of people who train for the Balls and in a way are a gay street gang.

For me personally I do not know how these people feel. I have been born into middle upper class society and know no other way of life. I have traveled and lived with very little in other countries, but even being able to travel is a privilege. I do not wonder where my next meal is going to come from, or have to steal to get what i want. I have been blessed that I am accepted for who I am. But it pains me to see others mistreated for their choices. It is much more widely accepted now then it was in the 1980s-1990s. Thirty years can change a lot from styles, to interest, to views on politics or race and gender. Their is still a divide that is going to be hard to fill between straight people and non-straight people, but there are now more crossings than before.

Especially with the Voguing scene, it brought a little light onto what had been occurring that no one knew about. By performing on an actual runway and doing the moves in front of upper class white America, there was a new cutting edge that wowed them. Willi Ninja even became famous from this traveling the world and even in some music videos.

Even just two years later in 1989 there had been a much bigger acceptance of it. I just goes to show that things change over time. Who knows, in the next 50 years there could be something we never even though of such as earthlings and aliens being married. It is just a mystery until it happens and until then nothing is for certain.