Having a Vagina Does Not Mean You're Going to Have a Fabulous Life, It Might Infact, Be Worse...

Paris is Burning:

"This is a documentary of 'drag nights' among New York's underclass. Queens are interviewed and observed preparing for and competing in many 'balls'. The people, the clothes, and the whole environment are outlandish." (IMBD)

I watched this film in order to question what defines gender, it follows a group of drag queens in the 80's as they struggle through life. 

"I'd like to be a spoilt rich white girl. I don't think that there's anything man-ish about me apart from what's between my legs"- Venus Xtravaganza.

The group is centered around the Ball society of New York. Balls are underground competitions held within the gay community in which there are various categories and the competitors walk up and down and are voted on who is the most convincing. 

I found the film really interesting because it highlights many issues about inequality. Although, throughout the film 'The Queens' refer to themselves and each other using feminist terms, ('she'/'her' etc) towards the end they begin to discuss the issue of actually changing gender. Almost all of the people featured in the film have not and do not want to under go a gender change operation. One particular character talks about how yes it is difficult to be a gay man and even more so to be a gay man who likes to dress up as a woman but it may, in fact, be more difficult to actually be a woman.

"Having a vagina does not mean you're going to have a fabulous life, it might infact, be worse."

What I found most interesting when I started to reflect on the film is that I realised that in order to act like women, most of the characters allowed themselves to be placed in derogative and submissive roles. Many of the drag Queens work as escorts in order to raise money for their ball outfits and such. 

"If you're married, If a regular woman is married to her husband and she wants a washer and dryer set, in order for her to get what she wants from him she will have to go to bed with him; so that he gets what he wants to give her what she wants."

Does this therefore mean that inherent to womanhood is an acceptance that we must play that role?