The documentary Paris is Burning takes place in America, contrary to its name. Moreover, this 1990s New York City-based documentary elaborates heavily on the experiences of being a minority, specifically Black, gay and male, along with the challenges and disparities they face along with the many accomplishments within their own community. This movie represents history and acts as a historical landmark as being gay was not nearly as accepted as it is now, in the 1990s. Hence, it took a lot of courage and pride for these people to publish and record themselves doing what they love without shame. The drag culture is very fluent throughout the documentary, and it even includes snippets of different shows. Throughout the documentary, it is clear that when the drag performers are performing, they are the freest regardless of their circumstances once they walk off the stage. For instance, after some shows, many of the performers did not know where they would sleep or if they would even eat that night, but while they walked the stage, these struggles disappeared. Being a gay minority and having the ability to be and do anything you want with the support of an entire audience is what many of the performers look forward to, as that is something they lacked in the outside world. The coemption is what draws many of the drag performers back. This era is undoubtedly a significant piece of Black history. It is relevant today as many of the terms frequently used throughout the documentary are popular slang terms used today, including “work” and “slay.” This documentary also subconsciously supports today’s popular topic that is typically referred to as body positivity. In each clip, a drag queen of all different sizes and shades is shown, and they are all celebrated and supported the same. It is imperative to remember that though the overall tone of the documentary is empowering, the climate outside of the venues was unfortunately not as welcoming.

The 1977 Combahee River Collective Statement captures the thoughts of a group of black feminists who exist and study living and operating in systems operated and catered towards the white male. This group states, “Above all else, our politics initially sprang from the shared belief that Black women are inherently valuable, that our liberation is a necessity not as an adjunct to somebody else’s may because of our need as human persons for autonomy.” Black feminism can be described as the belief that Black women are valuable and include the advocacy for equity and the celebration and recognition of Black women. An essential piece of the work these Black feminism advocates complete includes their incorporation of the struggles of others into their work. For example, “Although we are feminists and Lesbians, we feel solidarity with progressive Black men and do not advocate the fractionalization that white women who are separatists demand. Our situation as Black people necessitates that we have solidarity around the fact of race, which white women of course do not need to have with white men, unless it is their negative solidarity as racial oppressors. We struggle together with Black men against racism, while we also struggle with Black men about sexism”. This quote in itself says a lot about the nature of Black women and their overall unacknowledged stance in society. 

As black people fight for liberation, black women’s voices are utilized to further the movement but are never heard when it comes to our own concerns. When you are a black woman, sexually and racially you are oppressed. When topics such as black liberation are discussed, it is viewed as liberation needed for black men before women. We can see this kind of centering of black men within modern day movements as well, like black Lives Matter. Black women, although being at the forefront of the movement and the organizers, have been continuously left out of discussions regarding black lives and liberation. It is easier for society to name black male victims than black female victims. This sort of erasure develops over time as black women are told to devote themselves entirely to the black men in the community which means putting their needs before your own. From an outside perspective it can be seen as women being expected to remain submissive to men, but with blackness there is an extra element added into the justification for expected submission, that being race loyalty. The Combahee River Collective Statement of 1977 explains that although we have solidarity with black men, there is still sexism that needs to be addressed and that black women need to protect themselves from within the community. “It was our experience and disillusionment within these liberation movements, as well as experience on the periphery of the white male left, that led to the need to develop a politics that was anti-racist, unlike those of white women, and anti-sexist, unlike those of Black and white men.” To be a black woman is to combat white supremacy and the patriarchy at the same time. In my experience, it is very validating to read that there is in fact more than one issue that intersects and affects our experience. Growing up I witnessed how  a lot of the time my community will not acknowledge that you can be two things at once. And this presents itself as people in my community comparing our progress to the progress made by other groups. I’ve heard ignorant comments that claim raising concerns about how black men treat black women is divisive, or how society cares more about the LGBT than they do black people, which is entirely false. Black queer people are often left out even more when it comes to black liberation as the movements we have center black cishet men and give little attention to those facing multiple systems that can contribute to violent and usually deadly attacks due to their identity. In the video Paris is Burning, they mention how being gay and being a black man makes the world harder for you. Like Lizbeth mentioned in her response “Both racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia are captured in the scene of the snapshot and the documentary film, without community and their solidarity the struggle would be greater and safe spaces would not exist had they not created them for themselves and each other. In the same way the Mothers house the children, black individuals who share a common struggle had to be “homes’ to the younger and set an example.” By forming solidarity with ALL black people, it helps us fight against oppression much more effectively. We will not get any further by fighting with each other when the real threat is the people at the top.

I found a lot of truth and resonance within the Combahee River Collective statement from 1977 in the reading/watchlist.  I had never known prior to reading this that there existed a single piece of writing that collected and laid out so many important points and ideas that are essential to understanding so many different movements ongoing in the united states; which also highlights just how much progress, labor, and intellectual thinking has been and still is due to black women, something I’m also glad has been devoted this entire section to in this class. I personally have trouble thinking of a current revolutionary line of thinking that has not in some way been contributed to largely by at least a single black woman prior to, during, and after the civil rights era. At the same time, these revolutionary movements often overlook them, which is why I think there is a lot of truth in the statement “We are not convinced, however, that a socialist revolution that is not also a feminist and anti-racist revolution will guarantee our liberation”, something that is evident in many progressive movements. This can currently be seen very evidently in the white socialist movement that has gained a lot of popularity in recent years, which leaves out causes for women outside of white women, as well as any other non-white person in the country and definietly leaves out black women in all but a way to further their own white-specific causes.
    Also prior to this class, I’d never seen the film Paris is Burning. It’s full of some really incredible footage and information, and after watching it I hope that it is preserved for a very long time and made available to watch for a much wider audience. It’s very great to see nyc’s ungentrified drag queen culture before it and its language became

The 1977 Combahee River Collective Statement, expresses the concern for the rights of black women as they have been continuously excluded from reaping the benefits or being included in the fight for rights. In the text they state, “Our situation as Black people necessitates that we have solidarity around the fact of race, which white women of course do not need to have with white men, unless it is the negative solidarity as racial oppressors. We struggle together with Black men against racism, while we also struggle with Black men about sexism.”. Jaisely Dominguez’s snapshot captures the essence of having to fight multiple oppressions as the crowd fights against racism, sexism, sexual orientation and overall identity. The 1990 documentary film, “Paris is Burning”, also depicts the struggle of living life as black individuals with emphasis as black individuals who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community. Both Jaisely’s snapshot and “Paris is Burning” depict the importance of creating community and supporting each other through solidarity. Both racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia are captured in the scene of the snapshot and the documentary film, without community and their solidarity the struggle would be greater and safe spaces would not exist had they not created them for themselves and each other. In the same way the Mothers house the children, black individuals who share a common struggle had to be “homes’ to the younger and set an example.

The Combahee River Collective Statement, quotes Michele Wallace in “A Black Feminist’s Search for Sisterhood, which mentions, “Michele Wallace arrives at this conclusion: We exists as women who are Black who are feminists, each stranded for the moment, working independently because there is not yet an environment in this society remotely congenial to our struggle—because, being on the bottom, we would have to do what no one else has done: we would have to fight the world.”, which resonates with “Paris is Burning” in a more dream-like, hopefully manner when Venus and Octavia are expressing their yearn for more from life as they express wanting so much more and acting on it despite the dangers and obstacles they face which can end in facing violence. They once again express, “Many Black women have a good understanding of both sexism and racism, but because of the everyday constrictions of their lives, cannot risk struggling against them both”, further emphasizing the notion that the oppressions that black women face are overwhelming and despite having many, cannot fight them all at once even though they all affect them. The death of Venus Xtravaganza tragically depicts such obstacles. Although Venus was secure in herself for the most part and was light skinned, she still faced sexism and transphobia by the same people requesting to meet her, white men.

Responding to Allison Williams

I agree with Allison’s snapshot because black women have been suffering for a long time. Whether it’s from jobs, low pay, racism, colorism and more. According to an author from the 1977 Combahee river collective statement “There is also undeniably a personal genesis for Black Feminism, that is, the political realization that comes from the seemingly personal experiences of individual Black women’s lives. Black feminists and many more Black women who do not define themselves as feminists have all experienced sexual oppression as a constant factor in our day-to-day existence. As children we realized that we were different from boys and that we were treated differently. For example, we were told in the same breath to be quiet both for the sake of being “ladylike” and to make us less objectionable in the eyes of white people. As we grew older we became aware of the threat of physical and sexual abuse by men. However, we had no way of conceptualizing what was so apparent to us, what we knew was really happening”. This quote means that women have been under malicious treatment for a while. They were treated as if their beliefs and their experiences were not important. In addition women were different because we were not allowed to express ourselves because we have to be polite or act like a lady. This is still going on in 2021 because women would be called names for speaking their opinion or for having a voice. While the men  were being praised or they would call them bosses whenever they had a different outlook on things. Finally women get physically and sexually abused by men and nothing is being done about it or women are told to be silent about it or even get threatened. 

One of the worst things black women experience is colorism especially in the black community. In the black community we are often being bashed for the color of our skin not by white people but by our own race. Dark skin women are often being called ugly by black males and lighter skin women would get praised for their lighter complexion. Something that many black women have experienced is getting backhanded compliments like “ you’re pretty for a dark skin, or i only like pretty black girls with loose curls or nicer hair textures. Black women are always in a competition with each other. This has caused a division between us because many times the dark skin women would be jealous of the light skin women or vice versa. Finally society has taught us that the lighter you are the more privileged you are. This happens a lot in the entertainment industry. Especially in the music industry. Women are often rejected ( dark skins in particular) because they have to look a certain way ( Light skin with nice hair) so that their music becomes popular.

Work Cited 

BlackPast, B. (2012, November 16). (1977) The Combahee River Collective Statement. BlackPast.org. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/combahee-river-collective-statement-1977/

In this snapshot my classmate Junie Vallon posted, a group of black women are making a stand against racism and patriarchy that was started by white people and they cannot stand seeing another Black woman getting killed senselessly, since they are often being mistreated in general as well. 

From the site called “The New Yorker” which provides the audio made by the narrator Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, we hear a discussion about the racial climate of black-femisinist movements during the decades of the 60’s and the 70’s. I agree with the narrator and her experiences about the black feminist movement because it encourages other Black women to have the power to do a revolution for freeing others. According to the article named “The Combahee River Collective” by Combahee River Collective, the main point of the issues these black feminists discuss are about their own experiences with fighting against racism, patriarchy, their feelings, oppression, sexual politics, finding justice and freeing black women to be treated like any other human being. They also fight to maintain their rights against white women’s movements who oppose the blacks when it comes to racism. Identity is the most key aspect in black movements and politics. In black women, they dislike being misjudged by whites and during oppression they were often being denied their basic rights. In order for Black women to be treated as human beings, they must be respected by everyone in society. 
No matter what the situation may be, Black women always rise back up and make it through the tough times. The similarity between the snapshot and the article is Black feminists who were making protests against racism and basically starting their own movements to end patriarchy and oppression for all races to be treated equally. This snapshot captures the moment of Black feminists speaking out their voices to be heard by people and powerful movements against racism, patriarchy and identity issues in politics. From the documentary film “Paris Is Burning”, we see some people who are drag queens and tranvestites who are struggling to fit into the gay community due to their racial identity of either being born black or Latino. For example, transgender women who lack families turn to drag houses for shelter in the community and view them as second families. Some of them were being asked by strangers if they had any remaining relatives. Not all of them were going to answer but some admitted that either they had no family left or were no longer in contact. A transgender woman who goes by the name of Pepper Labejia runs the house that acts like a shelter towards trandsgender women who feel safe expressing their homosexuality once they attended the house. Gay men attended a few ball competitions to peform dance shows like walking, dancing and even dressing up. They also won a few trophies after being selected by judges in who performs the best talent. I agree with Pepper Labejia’s decision to open up a house for troubled transgendered people because it all them to have control to make admit their feelings about sexuality in society.

“The Combahee River Collective Statement (1977)” by Combahee River Collective focuses on political work by Black feminists through organizations and movements. Going further in the article we learn these organizations and movent are for struggles against racial, sexual, heterosexual, and class oppression. The article focuses on the issues it shows how society hasn’t changed because even today women have to fight for their sexuality, race, and rights. Black women always have to fight to protect their rights, prove that they can be just as smart as a man or a white man, society underestimates women especially black women based on their skin color. Always being judged and criticized makes it difficult for black women to be accepted in politics, even as young kids women are thought how to be a lady such as having skirts on makes them look more feminine and wearing pants is masculine, playing sport is a man game, having certain toy defined based on gender, the way people speak, how a house to clean and cook is only a women job. Now Black is allowed an education, however, They are still on the button of the economic chain. It’s still hard for black women to be taken seriously, people are always judging based on their skin tone, they are always judged based on their educational choice, the way they talk and act. They are also judged on their sexuality, judging people on so many things makes it hard for women to be accepted and be treated in politics. Having different sexuality, being a woman or a different type of education makes society question people’s logic and choices. Some other struggles Black feminists face are white women are also having protests and movements, since white women get treated with more respect and values, black protest gets ignored and overpowered. White women based on their colors get publicity such as people like them in politics, in newspapers. They get more press and being white is acceptable, having money and different resources to fund their belief. The value of men is different from women, the value of a white woman values more than a Black man, a value of a black man values more than a Black woman. If people were happy for others’ success and supported them for their belief and focus on personality instead of race, status, gender, and sexuality, more people would have success in life.

Since the era of slavery, black American women have been at the bottom of the American social ladder. They endure heavy oppression from white men, white women, and black men, and have a unique and profound understanding of the social reality of the United States and their own social situation. In order to resist the gender discrimination in the black liberation movement and the racial discrimination in the women’s liberation movement in the 1970s and 1980s, the progressive black women who inherited the feminist traditions and racial equality concepts of black women have set off a wave of black feminism throughout the United States. . As stated in (1977) THE COMBAHEE RIVER COLLECTIVE STATEMENT, black feminists are actively working to fight race, sex, heterosexuality, and class oppression.