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.

Dominance vs. Predominance

Paris is Burning is a documentary set in the late 80s and early 90s and explores the culture of African American gay men in New York. These men were generally abandoned by their mothers and fathers, so they were forced to search for a new family. They found community among other men like themselves and created a culture, families, and community that reflected their dreams and desires in a world that had mistreated them.
The men from this documentary did not fit the strictly enforced binary sexual system practiced by American society at the time. Paris is Burning is a documentary set in the late 80s and early 90s and explores the culture of African American gay men in New York. These men were generally abandoned by their mothers and fathers, so they were forced to search for a new family. They found community among other men like themselves and created a culture, families, and community that reflected their dreams and desires in a world that had mistreated them.

The men from this documentary did not fit the strictly enforced binary sexual system practiced by American society at the time. Together they were the lost boys of their society. What caused such great fear of homosexuals in America then? What causes such great fear of homosexual rights, relationships, and families today? A major argument is for the sanctity of the traditional Christian family. These traditional family values predominantly favor the wealthy white Christian way of life. For this reason, people of influence encourage rules, whether formal laws or social stigmas, that shame alternative lifestyles and favor their own. As far as motives go, this makes sense, because the best way to remain in power is to gain the support of others to promote your goals.

In discussions about minority groups, I am often stalemated and at a loss for words. My my father is from a long blended lineage of white Europeans and my mother is Italian. I am male. I am straight. I am the son of a doctor. I grew up in the suburbs. I went to private school my entire life. I have traveled the world playing soccer, sailing, and camping. My parents pay for my college. I have been provided with everything I need to succeed and more. I have the opportunities to grow and do more in our society, because I won a genetic lottery when I was born. I also desire to enter into a heterosexual christian marriage and raise children in a similar way to the way my parents raised me. All of which, fits the agenda of the wealthy men and women of our society. For these reasons, I do not always feel that I have a voice in topics about minorities. I have greatly benefited from a society where people with my physical characteristics are widely accepted.

However at the same time, I sympathize with the cries of the minorities. I do not feel that the pursuit of my own happiness and life goals should hinder the aspirations of people who are different than me. I love meeting, learning from, and building relationships with people from different backgrounds and experiences. I find great beauty in diversity. I plan to pursue my own goals and make the changes I desire to see. Hopefully, one day I’ll be in a high position in a company and have the ability to hire someone based on their merit and potential rather than their race, sex, gender, sexuality, social class, or any other stereotype. I sincerely hope the people who hire me treat me with this same respect. I will educate my children to have tolerance for others and to be open to new ideas. I will teach them that predominance is not equivalent to dominance.

dom·i·nance

ˈdämənəns/

noun

1. power and influence over others.

pre·dom·i·nance

prəˈdämənəns/

noun

1. the state or condition of being greater in number or amount.

Paris is Burning

The 1990 documentary, Paris is Burning, follows the drag and transgender culture of New York City. This has long been one of my favorite films not only because it is thought-provoking, insightful and has beautiful subject matter, but because it is real and not fictional. It does an excellent job of telling the story of the individuals involved in the "balls" and explains the sub-culture and all of its facets and lingo through event footage and private interviews. Many of the drag queens are dealing with difficult situations (poverty, prostitution, banished from their family, and struggling with sex changes, disease), but use the balls as a strong motivation to work towards.

This situation of males putting on an elaborate performances in which they act as the socially constructed idea of females is discussed in Butler's "Peformance Acts and Gender Constitution" in which she points out that when it is a performance, the act is acceptable and entertaining, but once the act is taken off of the stage and into everyday life, it causes confusion, rejection and hatred. This is because it doesn't fall into any "pre-existing category that regulates gender reality." People want everything to fall into distinct categories of male and female, and when something appears to challenge those categories it is difficult for the average person to accept or understand. Butler discusses the difference between sex and gender, that sex is biological but gender is an act that is taught and enforced. So, all of us choose which gender we want to act as, regardless of our sex. In Paris is Burning, the drag queens choose to perform and act as women which brings them hope and excitement despite the challenges they must face from those who cannot understand.