Sam U. March 12, 2024 "Paris is Burning"

 After viewing the film “Paris is Burning”, it really went to show more on how the queer community has deeply affected NYC culture and built communities that persist today. We got to see how there were these “balls” being performed by minority groups, mostly those from the African American, Latino, and Queer communities to give them a chance to be who they are and express themselves freely without having to fear any type of retaliation from the public.

These balls provided a place of refuge where one can live as the please, express who they are, build connections with those who are in a similar position as them, and build up a community of families and friends. These balls also gave the chance for one to show off their skills and talents in a competitive, but playful manner. Whether you won or lost, none of it mattered when these people were given the chance to be free and showcase their skills. These skills can range from fashion, music, art, style, beauty, etc.

We get to see how much these balls really mattered to these people as many have gotten the chance to come forward and share their experiences of how they struggled with expressing themselves. How they faced rejection from their own families and friends and discrimination from strangers just for expressing themselves, no matter if they were gay, trans, black, latino, etc. This immense fear of facing rejection and discrimination from society and from those close to them forced many of these individuals to shove down their true selves and conform to societal standards to appeal to the public. This just goes to show how stressed and under pressure they were at all times having been forced to play two people at once. 

So these balls were a place and opportunity where these people did not have to wear their two faced masks. They can simply be at peace and connect with others just like themselves. They can showcase their strengths and skills to show that they are special just like everyone else. These balls challenged normal societal norms and allowed those who didn't fit that norm to build strength amongst one another as a surrogate family.