Ryan Smith<\/p>\n
The Queer community has always found solace within itself and among its peers, therefore queer language was born. This language trickles down from various communities but the one with the biggest impact is the Black Community but more so the Black Queer Community. Queer people have taken these ideas and phrases, and brought them into a different light shared amongst the world.<\/p>\n
There are limitless phrases and words that live within these communities that the Hetero community wouldn\u2019t understand or resonate with. These phrases and words are ever changing in addition to evolving with newer generations and influences adding to the mix. As we use these words and phrases, we need to be mindful and be respectful about where they came from. One of the most famous sources for this is the film\u00a0Paris is Burning<\/em>. A film documenting the lives of Black and Latin queer individuals living in New York City during the 1980\u2019s. Its primary focus is the \u201cBall Culture\u201d but also dictates many words and phrases that are used today by so many different people. Nowadays there are many renditions of specific words, nevertheless they all share one quality and that\u2019s they all stemmed from one place of origin.<\/p>\n The \u201cBall Culture\u201d stemming from the very beginning of the 1920\u2019s was a way for Black and Latino Queer people to showcase talents and \u201clooks\u201d within what they would refer to as their \u201cHouses\u201d. Houses were a family like group of individuals that have found shelter within each other. They would often compete amongst one another in these \u201cBalls\u201d turning looks and striking poses to earn trophies and a name for themselves. New York City was seen as the epicenter of the Ball room scene and still to this day it\u2019s still unmatched. This culture and world caught the attention of many faces who were in the mainstream media at the time of the late 1980\u2019s to early 1990\u2019s. That\u2019s when the world really saw the endless talent of this Queer Community. Arguably the biggest artist at the time was Madonna who really put the spotlight on Ball scene with her hit classic Vogue. <\/em>The song starts off with the quotes \u201cWhat are you looking at? Strike a pose, Strike a pose Vogue (vogue, vogue) Vogue (vogue, vogue)\u201d. As familiar as those words are now, the term \u201cVogueing\u201d simply states: To walk or dance in such a way that you imitate characteristic poses from a model on a catwalk. During her many performances she showed the world what it meant to \u201cVogue\u201d by showcasing the talents of these artists in her shows who\u2019ve directly come from the Ball Room scene for instance Luis Xtravaganza Camacho and Jose Gutierez Xtravaganza, both from the Legendary House of Xtravaganza.<\/p>\n This can all be seen as a direct relation to the famous essay \u201cIf Black English Isn\u2019t a Language, Then Tell Me, What is? Written by James Baldwin. In the essay he states how \u201cBlack English\u201d isn\u2019t shown as a reputable language in terms of white people. Yet people are ever taking words and phrases from the Black Community, yet they put down their trying efforts and make it seem as if their language and words aren\u2019t as valid as the ones used by white people. Baldwin states that white people belittle the Black Community with the language used but by no effort try to understand and respect the chosen language used but instead they look down upon it. To this very day it happens with Black and Queer language. Some saw Madonna as someone who\u2019s white, essentially stole this culture from The Black and Latino Queer community with her hit single Vogue. <\/em>But with further discussion she paid respects to the ones whose very life she showed the world. We must always remember where these words and phrases originated from and to be used with the upmost respect.<\/p>\n Language isn\u2019t just words thrown together piece by piece, but instead is a beautiful work of art. It has history, culture, pain, and love. It\u2019s all things that make it unique to people from all walks of life. These languages are deep rooted in so many different communities from all over the world and it\u2019s what makes the human experience immeasurable. With each passing day we see these ideas and words develop into something original and innovative. Within the queer community there\u2019s so many diverse groups but the one thing that seems to be unbounded is the language spoken. It\u2019s a rare and beautiful thing to be a part of and should be celebrated in such a way.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Works Cited:\u00a0<\/p>\n Baldwin, James. “If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?”\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0The New York Times.\u00a0<\/em>29 July 1979,\u00a0<\/p>\n https:\/\/archive.nytimes.com\/www.nytimes.com\/books\/98\/03\/29\/specials\/baldwin-english.html?,%2522%2520&st=cse<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ryan Smith The Queer community has always found solace within itself and among its peers, therefore queer language was born. This language trickles down from various communities but the one with the biggest impact is the Black Community but more so the Black Queer Community. Queer people have taken these ideas and phrases, and brought … <\/p>\n