Paris Is Burning Case Study
Paris is Burning
1. I would argue that the group of poor gay minorities, like the people in the ball, is a subculture in itself. This group is a subculture of the gay culture. The distinguishing aspects of the group are that they are poor, gay, and minorities. Another distinguishing aspect is that members of this subculture are typically outcasts. They have been rejected by family members, friends, and American society as a whole. “It’s hard to imagine a more outcast group in American society than black and Hispanic homosexuals,” (Levy).
I identified this group of poor, gay, minority men who participate in balls as a microculture. This microculture’s distinguishing aspects are that these men all seem to live for balls, with dreams of fame and fortune, “The balls are our fantasies of being superstars,” (Pepper Labeija). This group also has an extreme love for, and competitive drive to be successful at vogeuing. Another trait this group shares is a love for fashion. They use fashion and style in order to appear “real.” This subculture wants to appear to be authentically white, straight, and female (Levy). This is depicted throughout the film Paris is Burning. Another microculture that I identified in the film is the transvestite microculture. This microculture defines itself by dressing up like the opposite sex, in this case men dressing as women, but who do not wish to become women. They could be considered androgynous, (Solomon, 186). While they do not identify with females, they wish to look female. The third microculture I identified in the film is the transvestite microculture. This group’s ideal self (Solomon, 177) is female. They identify with females and wish to eventually become female.
2. The goal of this subculture is to become a “real” female, if not to transform completely, to at least look like a real female. They are motivated by the celebrities they see in magazines and on TV. Straight, white, females are this group’s comparative influence,
1. I would argue that the group of poor gay minorities, like the people in the ball, is a subculture in itself. This group is a subculture of the gay culture. The distinguishing aspects of the group are that they are poor, gay, and minorities. Another distinguishing aspect is that members of this subculture are typically outcasts. They have been rejected by family members, friends, and American society as a whole. “It’s hard to imagine a more outcast group in American society than black and Hispanic homosexuals,” (Levy).
I identified this group of poor, gay, minority men who participate in balls as a microculture. This microculture’s distinguishing aspects are that these men all seem to live for balls, with dreams of fame and fortune, “The balls are our fantasies of being superstars,” (Pepper Labeija). This group also has an extreme love for, and competitive drive to be successful at vogeuing. Another trait this group shares is a love for fashion. They use fashion and style in order to appear “real.” This subculture wants to appear to be authentically white, straight, and female (Levy). This is depicted throughout the film Paris is Burning. Another microculture that I identified in the film is the transvestite microculture. This microculture defines itself by dressing up like the opposite sex, in this case men dressing as women, but who do not wish to become women. They could be considered androgynous, (Solomon, 186). While they do not identify with females, they wish to look female. The third microculture I identified in the film is the transvestite microculture. This group’s ideal self (Solomon, 177) is female. They identify with females and wish to eventually become female.
2. The goal of this subculture is to become a “real” female, if not to transform completely, to at least look like a real female. They are motivated by the celebrities they see in magazines and on TV. Straight, white, females are this group’s comparative influence,
Cited: Ebert, Roger. "Paris Is Burning." Rev. of Movie. Rogerebert.com. 9 Aug. 1991. Web. 10 Mar. 2010. . Green, Jesse. "Paris Has Burned." New York Times. 18 Apr. 1993. Web. 10 Mar. 2010. . Levy, Emanuel. "Paris Is Burning." Rev. of Movie. Emanuel Levy.com. Web. 10 Mar. 2010. . Paris Is Burning. Dir. Jennie Livingston. Miramax Films, 1990. DVD.