Ball Culture is very much alive in the US. But, it is still an underground culture, so without a connection to it, many mainstream gays may not know it exists. I have been to Balls in Atlanta, St. Louis, Philadelphia, and New York.
Not just US. I have been to a couple in Chile and the houses have traveled and post in their instagrams balls in multiple countries in Europe and other South America countries. Honestly they just are primarily organized by poc and trans communities so you have to know where to look
What's really, REALLY, important to absorb about Ball Culture is that it was for QUEER PEOPLE of COLOR (primarily Black and Latin ethnicities) - bc they were the most remote within the LGBT community. In the 80s (esp in the US, though I am sure it was across the western developed world). Queer PoC people did not have access to elevate themselves from the poverty and exclusion they faced in general society (even their straight counterparts were struggling to "have it all" - the queer PoCs were cast even further aside, beyond the gutter). Ball culture is the queer PoCs response. Where we could visualize ourselves as equals. The categories were themes where competition was awarded for those who could best represent the theme category. Which is why even "military" or "executives" were a category. Just being represented in everyday life was a class struggle. White queers, though marginalized, and even cast out from their families, had ways of passing and finding their path to success. It didn't mean that they weren't in the culture, it was VERY rare back in the day because of the race card issues. This exists even today, albeit, a TINY bit better. I've lived through ALL of that (older PoC cat in the gayborhood, here). What this series meant for so many of us who lived through it, is that we were FINALLY seen by our own (writers, producers, cast - the largest queer content creator team EVER in Hollywood) and expressed unflinchingly on screen. Straight white community could watch it, but THEY had to do the translations in their heads. For once, queer PoC people didn't have to translate the story in our heads to identify with the characters. We knew people like this. This was our found family. It was the BEST representation of why the culture existed at all. In many ways, the queer writers were addressing some of the short-comings of PARIS IS BURNING which had its own flaws in representing the culture at the time. But we lauded it because it was SOMETHING about that part of the community that was, and to a great degree, still is woefully underrepresented. THAT is an element that needs to be expressed and highlighted in your commentary.
So many of the stories here are based on real-life, and it's glorious! Ball culture is still alive. A big part of ball culture is coming from race and socioeconomic deprivation; there's a reason so many of the characters are trans women of color. A very big part of it, in fact. The next project for Pride within this particular vein might be _Paris is Burning_ where so much of _Pose_ draws inspiration.
Alex and Josh I am soooo glad you guys are reacting to this show. One of my favorite Queer shows of all time. The acting and showing the Ballroom scene to the masses on this show is 10's across the board. The music is outstanding. We got music from our original Gay Icons in our community such as Janet, Whitney, and Madonna. I love you guys for getting to this series and for Pride Month is just perfect. One love!
I think the nuance and difficulty is also realizing that this wasn’t just safe spaces for queer people but queer people of color. I live in NYC and I asked older gay friends what it was like and I was told that if you were white you were demonized but not as badly as others were and you still had some recourse and resources available.
I love pose, i knew nothing about ball culture..but now i want to know everything there is to know. Ive watched (almost) all of pose and when i tell you it is SOOOO good. The emotions, the laughter..just everything . Amazing show
Ball culture is happening just as much as before btw (i have been to multiple myself). They are even more public. They just still are, just like back then, lead by poc queer communities and trans communities primarily. So you have to know where to look lmao
If you guys haven’t seen it before, the film “maurice” is definitely worth reacting to- it’s a beautiful historical queer film and no one has reacted to it for some reason!
Okay, I am 57 (soon to be 58). I lived through that era. Dang it, I went to see Paris is Burning in the fricking theater. Children, the UK DID NOT have a ballroom culture in the 80s, nor did any other US city other than New York. It started in Harlem and stayed in Harlem until that documentary came out. The same year Madonna did Vogue and the rest is herstory.
Love this show, it was so important for the stories on the screen but also supporting LGBTQ+ writers, directors, show runners, producers etc behind the camera. I am so glad this show was made on a main stream network and for its honest representation of the ball room scene and queer culture in the late 80's early 90's. Can't wait to relive this through your reactions!!! Happy Pride Month!!!
Hey friends a reminder that (and im saying this as literally a queer actor myself) a straight person playing a queer character is fine. A non trans person playing a trans character is not!!!!! They aren’t on the same level!!!! Identity and sexuality connects us in the community, but it is not the same and to be responsible with real representation that is absolutely important to keep in mind. Like, many actors even come out as queer playing queer characters because sexuality is fluid and moves and one never knows. The same is NOT about identity and gender!!
You should watch the documentary Paris is Burning, which was a big inspiration for Pose. Ball culture in particular was big not only in the queer community of New York, but the black and brown queer and trans community.
Ball culture came about in the US but yeah we do have some here in the UK. Along with waacking WHICH IS DIFFERENT. Going on insta can help find the balls and houses here in the UK. Waackers are here there and everywhere if you know where to look too!! Mostly in London but some in the north too. LEEDS GANGS HERE
So happy you guys are going all out for Pride Month. Pose was one of my favorite shows and I am so glad for a re-watch because it's been a minute. Love that this show gave a true voice to those that lived this and breathed this. This generation likes to think "they" started it all, that them going down and marching for one weekend, is what is radically changing the world, but look back and gives thanks is a message I love that you are sending. We're all here now doing what we do because of the sacrifices of others.
MJ Rodriguez is one of the voice actors for "Dead End Paranormal Park," by the way. I assume you''ve seen "Paris is Burning." Have you ever done it on the show? Families disowning their children is still very much a thing in the West, sadly. It's never gone away. The Ali Forney Center does amazing work here in the U.S. for young queer people who need support (it's another charity to consider!).
Loved loved loved the message you guys were spreading about the trans community and how the in fighting amongst each of us needs to stop because on some fundamental level we are all just trying to find some semblance of belonging to a community. Happy Pride!!
This is one of my favourite series of all time. I like how they wove a lot of the things people would be more familiar with and offered a deeper understanding what ballroom culture was about from the film Paris is Burning to Madonna's vogue. You touched on straight identifying men and their thing for trans woman. I thought the series did a good job of dealing with that question too. I just saw Kokomo City a few days ago, by D. Smith. I hope you get the chance to watch it for a better glimpse of black trans women in the US and the reality that it has been for many of them for so long. It's so sad that almost every time there is a film about black trans women, there will be some kind of a dedication to one of them in the credits, having met her death in one of the straight men who couldn't cope with their internalized homophobia and self-hatred. Anyway, I'm happy you're reacting to this series. What you aren't equipped to discuss can be found in the comments and it's good education for you as well.
It's Michaela Jaé (MJ) Rodriguez, not Michelle 😂😂 As an American I always surprised at much U.S. culture leaks out of the country, but little knowledge of its roots/history...
This show is EXCELLENT excellent excellent I’m actually genuinely surprised you haven’t seen it yet! But I’m just so glad you’re watching it now 💜💜💜 happy pride!!!
I LOVE THIS !!!!!!!! Amazing reaction! One of my favorite shows! Also, to touch on what y’all said regarding how it’s more open for us now, y’all should watch the new season of We’re Here. So freaking heart breaking and enraging!! We think we’ve come so far and then we see how it is in Tennessee and Oklahoma 💔
Love that you are watching Pose during Pride month! 😍 Just one thing: I think you mean Michaela J. Rodriguez, not Michelle Rodriguez. Different actresses.
It's not as common as it was but ballrooms still happen, I'm from brazil and last month I went to see my first ballroom!! It didin't have too much people like in pose (my city is still big but conservative) but i feel like in other capitals it can have A LOT of people
regarding the discussion about fetishization: let's not forget that trans women *are* women, so straight men can be attracted to them and still be straight! ❤
The thing about fetishizing a certain type of person-trans, an amputee, someone very tall or short, someone of a certain colour or ethnicity-is that it is a problem if you view the person AS that characteristic. But if a straight-identified cis man is attracted to trans women? Great, let him date trans women. As long as he sees them as full individual human beings and not AS their transness. I mean, we all want to be valued for our bodies, at least in part. Why shouldn’t we want to be sought after for what we are, as long as the attraction goes beyond our broad category of identity to our individual humanity? I have WASP guys who have been interested me because I’m Jewish, and they have dated Jews before. Jew fetishizer. Something about my cultural personality is what they’re seeking in a partner, how my family behaves differently from their family, etc. Maybe the hair on my body, and my big brown semitic eyes. Hopefully, though, they want me, not just my access to matzoh-ball soup.
Are history books not available in the UK? If Americans have the rep for being bad at geography can we agree the British in particular don’t know much about the world outside of them 😂
This is the frist day of pride month. I need to say some things We have to change some things. First thing to me, we need to stop saying my pronouns are them or they It should be him or her, he or she I think you are degrading yoursel bcause you are not part of a collective and someone could call you it, that or thing. Please stop saying you are non binary You are bound to yourself and you can be bound to someone else. Please tell them it is L.G.B.T no Q or plus Because anyone can act queer and plus, plus what? Stop changing the pride flag It was fine just the way it was. I think that they are adding things to it because they want to add confusion. Please everyone stop adding confusion to this. We are better than this.
Romans 10:9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
@@AStoryWorthTelling They used the word EFFEMINATE in other translations but this is all under the umbrella of sexual immorality. Also, Romans 1:26-27 says it again
Oooh, look, cafeteria Bible quoting again. Find this quote - when and where did JESUS say ANYTHING about gays. Doesn't exist, because (gasp!) he loved EVERYONE. How 'bout you practice a bit of that without all the judgy commentary?
@@SACollins Jesus didn’t directly mention homosexuality but he did tell us that marriage is between a man and a woman and that they are to become one flesh. That automatically tells us that anything that doesn’t follow this order is sinful.
@@Eli_sharing_TheGospel_I’m not sure what issues you’re struggling with, but if you spend your time telling other people that their love is wrong, you probably need to be checking with your own heart instead. There are people out there throwing mothers and children into the cold because they can’t pay their exorbitant rent. There are people bribing politicians to allow them drill for more oil while climate change is already destroying us. There are people being murdered in their home countries, and we are closing our borders to them. There are people who are murdered by police for the colour of their skin. Spending your time focussed on not liking who people love and cherish and want to spend their lives with is a sign that you need to think deeply about your priorities and how you define sin.
