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“They’ll never know that feeling what it’s like to love without worrying that you’re gonna die, or worse yet, that you’re gonna kill somebody. I don’t know what’s shittier having that freedom taken away or never having had it to begin with.”
These were the words from the TV series Pose’s character ‘Pray Tell’ portrayed by American actor Billy Porter who just became viral for being the new representation of the genderless Fairy Godmother in the 2021 Cinderella produced by Amazon Studios.
Set in the late 1980s in New York, ‘Pose,’ which got nine award nominations depicted the exploration of the raw LGBTQ+ community, the ballroom scene, queer men of color, the ‘houses,’ and its crucial role in the HIV/AIDS crisis and prevention.
This 26-episode TV series also featured the most significant number of trans actresses in history. This show brought to light the stereotyped culture of the queer community, saving a considerable number of lost souls then.
Its ball culture, competed and won by houses (gay camps), represented their creativity and attitude as they showcased their stunning and unique outfits, danced and vogued with the rhythm, and gave justice to the various categories and challenges every week. It also awarded the leaders of the houses dubbed as the ‘Mothers’ competing elegantly for the title ‘Mother of the Year.’ They were mothers of the ‘houses’ which provided shelter and food to gay teenagers and young adults rejected by their birth families.
Multiple kinds of relationships have been presented, the closeted gay son who kept his talent and preferences a secret to his parents until it was found out, the story of being kicked out of the house, stories of falling in love with a straight white family man and him being curios to what he really wanted, house mothers to its adopted daughters and sons and how they kept them from the temptations of selling drugs and the virus killing every member of the queer community indulging themselves in unsafe sex explorations and adventures.
It has portrayed the general opinion of the people in the 80s and 90s towards HIV/AIDS as the punishment of being gay. It tackled how the LGBTQ+ community had a challenging ordeal with the government and the church’s misconception on the use of contraceptives and condoms. The queer community protested and fought for equality and taught its members to stand their ground along with everybody. It has criticized those members who were indifferent to the protests making them ‘enablers’ of the social dilemma of discrimination, such as denying access to people of color for HIV clinical trials, among others. The show served as an eye-opener to get tested as soon as possible to prevent death and serious illnesses.
With its giddy, honest, great script and other stunning elements, it has retained its capacity to delight though tainted with the scary depictions of mistreatments and death.
Above all, this TV series highlighting the gay community inspired everyone to dream and how important it is to be supported by a mother and her family. The House of Evangelista with Mother Blanca sent her new adopted son ‘Damon’ to a dance school. This was the same son rejected by his family because he liked to dance and he was gay. There were challenges with the enrolment deadline but being a mother, she fought for it and negotiated further with the dance school principal exclaiming it’s the only chance for her son to reach his dreams.
Mother of the Year awardee “Blanca” was played by actor MJ Rodriguez who made history as the first transgender woman to earn an Emmy Award lead acting nomination.
“This can be on the record because I want them to know this. I know exactly what they’re thinking right now. I know they don’t see me as a woman. I know that” she added, “they don’t have to tell me. They’ve made it very apparent, but my job is to show them how much of a woman I am through the work that I’m doing.”
Regarding that the modern LGBT rights movement began in New York with the Stonewall, NYC Pride is an appropriate candidate for the finest gay pride events in the USA. Read more about the 5 Best Gay Pride Celebrations in the USA.
Tanya Wilson
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