POSE

THE CATEGORY IS, LIVE.  WORK.  POSE!!!!.

Pose is a American drama series about the lives of New York city’s African American and Latina LGBTQ+ community set in the 1980’s.  The series is set around the careers of models and dancers who compete for trophies and recognition in the underground culture, and who support one another in a network of chosen families known as houses governed by supreme's or den mothers known as Mother.

The entire series takes you back to a time where trans people where revered at the bottom of the LGBTQ+ hierarchy and how they had to live to survive in a cruel world that did not see them as equal or their authentic true self (In one of the scenes a trans woman goes to a white gay bar and tries to order a drink but is not allowed to because she is not seen as a woman and in her authentic self and gets kicked out and arrested for it.).  Pose looks at the juxtaposition of several segments of the life and society of the LGBTQ+ in New York.

The underground culture is a gender non-conforming ball couture (Which to my queens is now today known as vogue'ing.), this culture originated in the roaring twenties which was a period of high fashion (This era where camp was born).  The underground ballroom scene was one of the only places where queer people could freely be and enjoy themselves and of course enjoy the pleasures of high fashion and appropriate this particular style.

In the show there are different houses like the House of Abundance which is run by Elecktra Wintour played by the amazing Dominique Jackson and rival house, the House Evangelista run by former member of Abundance Blanca Evangelista played by Mj Rodriquez.  These houses serve as a safe haven for members of and outside the house.  Pose also brings awareness to HIV and AIDS and how it affects and hits the community hard, in season 2 the show now focuses on the fact that people from the community are highly hit by the epidemic and how more of the characters are now either HIV-positive or living with AIDS.  Some have become AIDS activists.  Pray Tell played by Billy Porter who is the emcee of the balls in New York is a fashion designer and mentor to members of the community especially members of the House of Evangelista is seen in the first episode as he visits his boyfriend in the hospital who is diagonosed with the disease.

Pose is a reflection of our everyday lives as members of the LGBTQ+ community and the struggles and trials and tribulations that we face and have to go through.  It shows the hurt and pain we have to endure to live our truths and the measure one must take to LIVE that truth. 

It also has shown that the trans community does not fully receive the recognition and love that they deserve (Especially on the hierarchy.) but also from the LGBTQ+ and straights cause just as much as straight people discard them, gay people do to and this show has shown that we truly all our equal.

We thank Pose for showing us that we are equal, because they have become a beacon of hope, for Pose has become the Vogue for little boys and girls and for anyone feeling lost.  The show has shown us that in this community we need one another and that we should stand together and love each for we are brothers and sisters.