Drag Balls In The Film

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Drag balls were an important part of the late 80's and early 90's subculture and are important in understanding transgenderism and the issue related to gender. They are also a new form of community; consisting of the different "houses", which creates a sense of belonging for these people who are rejected and marginalized by their families and society because they do not conform to the expectations of the dominant culture, which is heterosexuality. Jennie Livingston’s film Paris Is Burning documents the ball scene in Harlem, New York. The balls are competitions in which black Americans, and Latina gay men and transgender people walk the runway in drag, competing for the chance to gain "Legendary status". The categories consisted of themes such as Butch Queen, School Boy/School Girl, Executive Realness, Military Realness, Bangee Boy/Bangee Girl or High Fashion Realness, and contestants are judged based on the “realness” of their performance. Real is a word that is heard thrown around in the ballroom a lot in this film. In this essay, the film Paris is Burning, will be analyzed on the basis of what realness is considered to be based on the performance and gender issue found in the film.
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You wouldn’t up and change your ideas and your opinions on a subject or how you look just because somebody else disagrees with you. But what does the use of the word "real" in the film Paris is Burning mean? The word "real" used in this sense means the opposite of what we know it to mean. It means really that it is the opposite of real, it is how well you can pretend to be or pass as something or someone else, basically who can portray the most 'authentic' woman and

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