Paris Is Burning

3 reasons one might go to a drag ball / chose to dress in drag. How can this relate to your life?

Drag Balls: probably not something many people have heard of or attend, for that matter. Drag balls are events for the homosexual & drag community. It is a place they can go and are able to be whoever or whatever they chose; it is a place where everyone is accepted for who they are. Drag balls are like fashion shows, where people can dress the part of "real" men or women. It's a fun place to be & a fun thing to partake in; there are trophies and prizes as well. Gays, transsexuals, transvestites, etc, are often not accepted in society and definitely not in the fashion world, so the drag balls are a way to "feel like a superstar". In the documentary we watched the "mother" of a drag "house" stated: "When you're gay, you're modest about everything. Everything you do, everything you say, and everything you wear. The balls is a place they can come and be themselves without being scared of being judged or not accepted by society." To me, "Paris is Burning" isn't really about men wearing women's clothing; it's about a group of people who are routinely put down by society and what they do to get a sense of security in their lives.

It's a relief though, to have a place like this, because it gives gays a place where they can be accepted, and it gives hope to other people who might be socially rejected, that there are people like them, and there are people that accept them for whoever they chose to be. In life today, it seems as if everyone does whatever they can to fit in, even if that means completely changing who they are. I believe individuality is a big part of ones life, but society and the media makes it so all girls feel they need to tall, blonde, and skinny; and men need to lift weights, love women, and play sports to be accepted. I can definitely relate this to my own life because I see it every day. I see my friends who don't eat because they feel they need to be skinny like the models on T.V. to be accepted. I see boys who I know are homosexual, trying to conceal the fact that they are to such an extent; it's ridiculous, and sad really. "Paris is Burning" was a really meaningful documentary for me, and I very much enjoyed it. I think it just gives people hope that they should be able to be who they want to be and not worry about weather society accepts them or not. Individuality is better than being like everyone else anyway.