SAN DIEGO — Black and brown transgender and non-conforming people face particular challenges within LGBTQ spaces and society at large.
One of their responses is joy and liberation through a self-sustaining social network in ballroom culture. You may have seen it in popular TV shows like Pose, Legendary, and RuPaul’s Drag Race, but it's closer than you think, and the culture is thriving.
"I grew up in a biblical Christian household.” Mother Teyana started. “I wasn't privy to knowing anything about the trans experience. I barely knew what it meant to be gay."
Mother Teyana is the Mother or leader of The House of St Laurent, an icon that’s lasted decades in ballroom culture.
"It prepared me for everyday life. It gave me thicker skin. It gave me confidence. It gave me discipline," Mother Teyana said. "I can walk into any room and feel like I'm that girl because the ballroom taught me to be 'that girl.'"
But what is ballroom culture? We went to the artists for answers. Flosse, an artist and member of The Iconic House of St. Laurent, shares the excitement.
“Ballroom has created this space where we can put all that stuff (hate and oppression) to the side and be with like-minded people who want to have fun and who like to be extra," Flosse said. Flosse beamed with pride at the sense of belonging.
Ava Lewis, another artist, adds, "Ballroom is just a sanctuary for all of us to come together and showcase who we are, 100 percent authentically."
In these highly intricate, choreographed balls, contestants show off their look, poise, skill, and whatever makes them unique in front of adoring fans. From the very beginning, balls have incorporated pageantry, fashion and dance.
However, anyone fully immersed in the culture recognizes its most attractive draw is the kinship it provides.
Flosse explains, "It's creating a family or a community or a foundation for people also to showcase themselves and to be applauded versus being shunned or torn down because of someone's sexuality or because someone is experimenting."
Ava was the first trans varsity cheerleader at Vista Highschool in 2012. "I went to school, and I had makeup, hair extensions. I was a girl. And I have been doing that since my sophomore year. I had full family support and everything."
Ava remembers her family declined interviews when asked by reporters in 2012 after she fought – and won – the right to wear a girls’ cheerleading skirt after originally being assigned a boys’ cheer uniform with pants.
"We didn't want people showing up at the football games terrorizing me or throwing things at me or having signs," Ava informed, adding, “That was ten years ago; there was a lot of hate back then.”
Even now that Ava has been involved in balls for a couple of years, she shares, "Up until a year ago, I'm finally getting comfortable speaking about my truth. I'm finally comfortable letting people know who I am and where I come from. I have ballroom to blame because it's a space where I feel appreciated, embraced, and accepted."
Ava says the love from the community was real and stronger than hate because, in the ballroom culture, she found family.
"These things called houses popped up,” Arnold Cogdell explained. “Because they were chosen family." Cogdell is an Executive Board Member for The Iconic House of St Laurent.
"Because many LGBTQIA community kids were kicked out of their homes or kicked out by family,” Cogdell expounded, “They needed an outlet to be themselves and who they are. They found these folks, mentors in the community that became mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers."
This ballroom culture and its balls have a freedom of expression that means family, living, loving, and dancing - Or voguing - through it all as they leave it all on the ballroom floor.
San Diego’s Black LGBTQ Coalition will host their 3rd Annual Black Pride “Meet Me At The Back” Mini Ball Friday, July 7th at 9 pm at The Rail on 5th St in San Diego. All lovers of life, love, dance, and culture are invited to attend.