bell hooks fram, Black Lowks Chapter 9 Is Paris Burning? ‘There wa atimein mye when ed to es pat male snd {o cunt the weld. tvs a foam of ao play eas sso abot Power To erosr-des aba woman In patra —ther owe ao than ‘ow-—was also to sybelcaly eros fom the word ef powetensnss Ingo a wold of prvlege. i was the ulate Innate, voyeeas este. Searching old journal fr passages douerting ht time, ‘und Wis parish: Se plese within rc, wellevery now andthe, pt ‘ates tobe bystopeter {man des he jose at A sake the wort bok xr ify mak hens ees ‘Bes ete sue sd scehon ay cues hee Soman deedup ies mn etc Sock ay mane Is eflerarte boy iverSasring mins oe tte pam Der wo itabe tal ery atau, wan es gh atyou tke tel keep hem unin, auch ‘aya hey wal eer ks fee Dnt ny hen te ete ane abe i fx you sini for ow fe epanecher Crossdressing, appeanng a dg, uansvestsm, and travers ‘emerge ins context where the notcn ef subjects chalga, where Ment is always perceive as capable of comucion ime, on, change. Lang before tere wus ever contemporary fea ‘ovement these oltre experiencerentubvemiveplaserohingMe BLACK 100K a a eaerens ecaceeeme raie neat ea ree aig era te Trae Sah mtg toe ca Eten peepee deo ears eae feo cv gee ee eee eae eae ogee Sea Se ee ea ei fee are Per La poppe le elem lee rahe eran a cae Ea poe ae eegepeee read pr eros eee nc a ee ee eae ea ere ay SS arse oe ee cee Ele ergata acess eae eevee ae 2 ees ence ees ae Perea es eerie eee as Soe ere Rae ae Se eae en oe ee oe eee pees as eect Ger es ae eee ted he wy th opesaon opes dd ns alow Be 0 “Fenty spar te weld gered plones hese a a ‘rome cxeapied Sua aMerer val spaces abd wee TW Fabian ites re peeling Oe oie see ors ev, ‘Sine Looking Satay arimayes oF men Opera si FooHE Faithcy were mom ofen poraaved as Vics Isa Baring? w re andar ass wom, ene bated een nga ‘ming tuck to eto i even Bese Bat ow ben wo eenberbentngtgucsoftriyed wounded men ao {Eye ane hao torte Asn ese mene ne Frinoy cows onthe pa thy cy 3 an hy ser do tae bern hy fe sons by reo em erable ‘Rdtmm wha ne them down, Tey pare fen. one vain ‘i Skah “Many teosemal bck nen in white supreme paiarcal “atu hve nce a hogh the pomary "ev of race hs bee te Tefal f the dominant coleare alow Gem fllaces pana “poner statins ea ey are compelled inabis sphere oh -fiweticsmes deemed erie" ence ey Save peril ie “Teves ar ermecobted To the exes! Wat ack men accept « white Tupremocst scx repietentation of themelves ae costae, WHOM ‘hale poner, and therefore psebdo females dey wl aed to oreriy cert a pale misogynix mancliny, one ected in contempt fer the female Muchbuck aul homopkobuisroccdin the deseto eschew ‘connection with ll hinge deemed “Temnipe” and dat WOU, of ‘our incide blac gay men. A contemporary black comedian ike Edie tui provers pale power by daring publicly ecule ‘women and gay is days ofappeasiag it dag are over Indeed ti the dg queen of his misogyit imagination tat 6 most often the luge of ack pay culture he evokes and sje comic homepe {eee tha aodiences collude perpetuating oracles take appearing in drag secs, be they ay lor staght st oppose a beerseatrepeescntion of black man- ood Gender bending and Bening on the past of Black ales has sleayebeen a clgue of palloceric masculinity in tadona Black fipetirce, Yet she subversive power of those images is sdicaly red wen informed bya ecalizedFitonal constascton of Ue crnine” Ws sodden makes the represetalon of woes 35 way “Psion of whee woerrood. Th Brualy evar s Yemte (ngs new Tim Pari ar. Within the woof the Back ny raghall cure se dpi the Wea of womans and ferininty Eta penoaled by witents, Wat viewer tes sao Blackmenlangngioimpeconate evento becemelike-reat back women bother obeesion wth an idealized feshiedvslon ofr tnt ‘Shite Caled oti the tin by Doran Cre, who names iby saying so blac drag queen of day waste o be ana Hore, he rakes eur thatthe femininity most sought afer, mos adored, was hl pereevedtobe tiexclusive prope of wie amauhood. When we See visual eprescnistions af womanhood nthe ls Gnages tom oe Iagazies ad posted oa wal ia ving space) they ate, wi ste ‘Seeepons,ofwhite nomen Sigifcary the xason oa sore ‘Bch ke whe female xpos implicitly evokes connection © A igure never visble nis i that fe Whe male pach And [yet the clas, race, and gender sipitons expres by the eng ‘ueen who shire thet deepest dreams essays the longing tbe the position ofthe ruling-dass woman then tar meas there sls he esr fo atin patersip wi he sunglass whe male "Tis combination of clas snd race longing that pees the femininity’ of the rlingclae white woman, adored and kept, shrouded in onary, doesnot imply segue of paiarehy. fe {s assumed dat te gay ale, and post speci the "queen i both antephallocentae and intepatrchal Manyn Frye’ et “Lesbian Feinism an Gay igh” remain one of te mot el cal debunkings of this myth. Writng in The Politics of Rely, Frye comments (ne of tags which parades he ght weld at yen Sse otal en tena of se ane ad ihe gy natn Fhe person of weno ck ‘He sussied ithe pul mind wih tale Pomona Be 2Stread gay envy a dosage spp “plas volve olor aucaton wh nomen rte wena) Yor the mat pan. isersiny sete was cancers Dp tastra cxspgenton Rit cal sod el meceery of ‘woo frat se epoig of oppreion Del Salto wkndofpiyaioyng wiht nics so. Wea fale secon of ein seems ob = sre pa ‘heh men muy ence ek power and col oes ee See uh pt ean Any sewer of Pas Buringcan seks dey the way ia which ts coruemporay dag bale fave eau of spon event, yee Ccompartions. one tar Ge this ase “hose” cong apt ater 2, nor goa Ue way in which the mele ane fo te acne : : 5 h oes we rye tsa Bing w Aveda purscipnisina nanerakin(o the obecifing pale sare Sight men dat at ensue’ women cain public Spaces Parts “Burning that many auchences sume a nerey oppose tional because of is sbject ater a the Sent ofthe amar | Wertheim’ pois frac, gender, and dass are play out in ays Ma ar both progesine and scion. 1 Neel fst iardthat ihre was ths new documentary Snabout ace gay en, drag queens, and dag bale wa fcnnedy thee evoked images the rel Parson fre, of the death and dexuction (of dominating wate wesiern ciation and cule, an end to ‘Opprestive Euroceatisn and wate supremacy Tis fy teal (Gove me a sustained sense of pleasure! beween me and the ‘ube sealty that a young whe Famaker, offering a progressive sion of"acaess rom the sundpoint ly htenesay would reelve “be pase press accor aid beri. Witching Pare ‘Baring began thik the any yuppie looking, sight acting, ) Ij poshy: predominaray white faerin the aulence were tere because {he lat so way izamogaten“whitenes* These fl lf the saying Iwas “anazing marvelous” “ned fay? worthy of ‘Stemens ike, “Die you jst loved" And no, 1 dia tone For Inmany ways be fm was graphic docomensry porte the way Inwhch coloized back people ith cae back gay bites sone ‘of whom were dig queens) wortip athe tent whiten, even ‘when sch Wotaip desde that we live fn perpetil eat, sa lie, go hongry, and even eins put The we" evoked here al ‘fs, black peope/pecpe fear, who ae daly borbarded by a powerful colonizing Whtenes that seduces us ay fem cules, that negates that ee beauty be founda ny fro ackness ‘hac stocinstason tenes “The whiteness celebated in Pari uring not ayo brand of whiteness trate that ul penal mlingelass caps, Pataca witness at preven iets way of Meas te oly ‘eaninghl Me these. Wat could be mare reusing to wie bli erful hat marginale daefeanchied black oles nig rae {ny day now and sake revalusonay barton eggs ely than 2 documentary afrming that colonized, victaed: exploited, biackfoksareall too wilingiobecompistin perpenstingthefarary tha lingtas white culture the quiescent ite of unstated Joy. feedom power, and pease Indes hist very please that ‘So teany whe viewers wih clas petege expeence When watcha150 BLACK LOOKS ths ln hat as acid to censor denn voi wo Bd te fin Shas rec coealy poenat in oe Cay ele of ie i i New York Tine be begins by gotng the wore of aback atherto ha hanosenl en The fanhesturer tac fest or acme ose a es {ose aad at °fyour back sod male ad gy, you ba Be Sonera yeu aninagiDegining his overlnay poste ‘eiew with he words ofa gt Back ta, Canby fps a finn some way documents uch sng, porta ot Dc gy pide Yetbein sway ast ways ts ie ae pomee aie fine wore Lie mover the Ry wat he Ads os Competing te pageany of te dag balls Ho wr no ange desing ce a dat peopariver shen sugeng ae a Is plete hat behind the foi ying tre alo a eile sass {nie eatin. Cy doce oot esl fly the oc of as ‘Seas ead hes The eens nce heneler om ote themertcofssodey dat wiloaiave en Tas makes apps thatthe ples of mnt we cae ae soley sol and rot pes sl aenthete ques fc and ea te Sprenins of power nd lege Gaby ces axel ade at SEU oft aged anda fs evoked by twig Tessofbise py een obaec nace ot ising rales) Gare an power ete a one of he primary ages ott cpereion td eploladen say, he very “ase ered ‘leipe omte cooing cone, ah we pale people ‘Sten appropiate and ebwespecs tthe oma ee, Pae ‘Bernig despot finely ugg cha poses ting pace ag in en ous pas documentary providing a candid, even celebratory, look at Bl . tals Andree the mondo ccrason at nas ent {0 wih he alba t necessary adel expression af dente thagiaton werk nsermningandeallenggibe ahs gu Much dt ns fms om pager kes te raf Black cng al {ad nak iopecale ial at econ oc that crs ih ‘mening agacace beyond war sppen, wil specoce une tno panty tsencracg nate deploy. Toss es who bas {pon pinaeprepedbiclscdng ete weperkipaedin dese eons ands tao bat he enero genial Ermpowenag ad s.bvenive ay at be ey vale tan one teeing in Hence eer for wae teres dpi ack ees ssopeucle Pais uring? 11 | __ Jennie vngston approaches hee subject ater as an ousie looking. since her presence as white womarvledisn fmm = "absent rom Pars Burnes) for viewers to inagin that ey se watching an eoprapie lm docamenting te hfe of back 5 Soave and not ecognite hat they are watching a work shaped and foamed by a paspesive and sandpcint speci Livingson. By ‘deeraiaty anking dhe ely (we eat er ak quero but vet See heo, Livingston does not oppose the way hegemonic whiteness “represents busckness, but rither asames in imperial oerscing pos dats inno way progesiv or cous hegeron By shes ‘hefilmusingsconvensonalapproach to documentary and ot making ‘ear how her sandpolatbreaks with ts taditon, ivingston assumes 3 pateged location of anocence’ She a eprsented Dah in ee. ‘sewn and sews as the lenderheared, mldmanneted, it | ste wo dango venurtntosconemporiryheanofdarknest 1 being back knowledge of te mate, "Aveview inthe New Yorker declares (ath no argument to substaaate tie asern) thatthe moves asymsthete servation (fa species, penate worl” An inteview wit Uvngsin Out tooo sited Pate, she Sai” and we ae tld inthe peace that she “discovered he Bll weedy chance" Lvinpson does not cache trees ei ascnaton wih black paysite She not eked to speak about what knowlege, information, oived undestanding of Muck cure and histor she postessed that provided backgroud oe her work ort explain what ion of lc Ife she hoped o sony sto whom. Caa anyone imagine thar black woman lesbian would fake 2 fim aboot whe gay subculture and not be asked these {questions Livingsensasked nthe Outueokineniew “How did you bull up the hind of st where people ate so open 0 king about thew peronal experience” She ever answers ths quesion, Lata she suggests that she guns ber “cedby" bythe latent of er Spector, adding “aso targeted poop who werearsculte, who ‘hu stu dey wanted wo sy and were vey poy aioe wanted tolisten Avoiding te cfc questions undeshing wiat treat Deawhie person i white sipemacs soiey eretng =m bout ay aspect of black Ife, Lagson responds Ue queson, "Didnt ‘he fat tha youre a white lesbian going toa werd o Black queete snd steetislomake date serie proces diol" mpct { ‘rokiag shallow sease of univesaleonnection She respond, fo Know someone over a petted of two yeu sod they sl fea det sex and her rie, youve gotto bes pay sex cla potion Yeti2 ‘Lace LOOKS ts precy the ace, sx acd semsal practices of black men who are Flamed thas the expoted subject So far hve tad no intervie where Livingston scutes the tsove of appropetion. Ard eventhough shes openly ecl of oon she does aot convey bother wot from Madonna's “ppropenien o black expatence. To some ent i precy che region by ras cue fat aspects of black ie, ike wap ‘Hzsate white auchences that tates » asks fc both Madonna's psf Lidge’ Unfortunatly, Lsingsion’s comments about Fons Burmang donot convey sero shout about eer ie policl and aesthetic unplcaons of her choice #8 a wie woman Peaiiny on anopect of black le and cure or Ue way rach right apes iforn how she woud erp black experince on the Sea Reviewer ite Georg Brown nthe Yidage Voce who susaet {Ei Teangnons whitepesr a fact of saute hu: inde er ‘Rikince collude inthe denial ofthe way whteness forms het Detepecve and standpoit To tay, a Lingston des, ceainty Teen the eal word on te gy black experience. love fora ‘ick decor oh made hs li 0 oversinp ithe sue an fo abvolve he of responsbiiy and accoutabity fr progessive aie recon and imps suggests tht there would be 00 ‘cece Derveen het won and ta of aback dectoc, Undying this appatendysel-eflacng coment exltual acogance, for she Implct ot only ha she hs comeres the market nthe subject ater ‘eter being able oak fms a question of personal choice ike he sscovere the aw mates before a bck rector Het aac darting cme thy reveal so ie areas ofthe ‘Bint tar under an comoodiinsonof-Dackses nts ele "fad Livingston approached he subject wi pester awareness er pec eter Erk swell wot of song perp nlm els 10 ‘Salyiave tue gal io aspecadeforthe els srenofton resibedwbeot becusite cf seapecce on “Tego crc wt expreed theft odo wi questions “pmerandpvigeand hewn ncominpedstkcrproges ely he ve spatone of the lack ay subcuoe depte do ce fom tre fates por anundecsDachoomsniie) re the spocesy “ise poson pina lcs i the Eoin eens, Lagan apps onlin 10 nee—ae ary suing te postion of ouuider ooking ia a8 well 8 Pare ming ass iererpces, cn, and often does, pervert and distor one's perspective Her oaiy wo ausune sucha potion wilnout rigorous ieromaion finest ooeed inthe police of raceandracam Pata Willams nques the white asimpion of 4 -aeutral” guze in ber eon “STedoiogy onthe Rock inclaed i ber aw bock The Aciemy of TRoce and Ribs, Descblng tkig 4 walling tou? of Harem wid a ‘rou of white folks, se reals the gute ling the ey muah" {Daee some sevice nce Easter Sunday in Harem sate a how” ‘Gills cetia obveerations ae flevantto any discussion of Pars ‘eburns ‘Teyanediste sed telbeng mst Toned wat ‘woul fappen i+ soup of theaned lacks war walk Suet nar ato pew or pay. Myla ac ‘Sint menidbe sens esp every ea Yet the ‘pesto deacon seemed inet 0 his wee ‘Shs ate pup etpepie Tey Seca yee ‘Sekcomoen ewe at tan bok" °No co wl mi Tai-tnerops hanced aswel inactonedssthey wee 1h nk ah he presen atmo one exe fr et ult be eoemed by tie rors, he scowl ‘Prieckolagparet ale durbehave, eat lpg Poites tuys uel ora muy tre sanourimercion “Thisimghfl que came to mind as elected on wy whices could so cuspokenty make thet plesure ia chi lin heard and the ‘ny black viewers who express conten, sing excl questions bout how the fm wae made, sean, and talked about, who hve ‘et named their pleasure pubs Too many reviewers and ir ewer sui not oly ha he © 80 peed 0 me pesng cial (ustbassbovilnigte fim Dua asthough she sort ths argalnedblack gay sibeltreafavorby begingtherexpenence {or wide public Such astace abso the substantial rewards she areceved fortis wok ine ao many of te back gay men in he Fm expen the deste o be big as, easy fo place Livingston in the rob afbenetatr offing these poor back soul” away to elze thet deus Buti sus curent wendin prodcing colori enc1st BLACK LOOKS forthe whe consumer appetite ht makes posse for blackness 0 becohnmodiied ia uaprecedenied Ways, and forwhitesto appropiate Bateculmuce with inteogating wintnes or sewang concer er ihe pleasure of blacks Just as Whe crural npevaism eed and aimed the adventuousjoumeys of colonia wes into the cuntnes and eles of “au ete” allows whe audiences to "ppl represeatons of Back cle, they ar asic wah he ‘emges and habla of being represented ‘Watching de fin wih lack worm end, we were subd bythe extent © which white folks aound us were "entertained and “pleasure” by scenes we viewed at sid and at tines tragic, Often itis noghed st pesscalestscey abou harp, pan, one lines. Several times {yelled out athe dark “What 0 funny abot ‘his scene! Why are ou lughing The lnugter was never inact Insteadtundermine te seriousness ofthe fk, Keeping ily on theleve af spacacie Andmuch the fl: hep ake tis posse Moments of pun and sadness were qukkly covered yp by Sate scenes from drag bal, as though here mere ro competing cera rutaaves, one asplayng the papery ofthe deg al and the ces reflecting onthe lives of partcipants aad value of the fay Ts ‘cond marae was heraly hand fo bea because te laughter cen downedicout jas the usatned fcisen elaborate spay at bale (used the power ofthe more sous cote marie Any audience hoping tobe entrained mould not be ab lttesed in te tue ie Soles and testimonies namsted. Much ef the india testinony ‘nas it appeat that te characte ae estranged fom an comin beyond themselves. Fanules, fends, et ae not shown, whieh adds to the representation ofthese black gay men a8 eo ving on the edge 1 useful 1 compere the ponrake of thas Hes in Pas ‘Bemingwith hose depicted Maton Rigg compeling im Tnguee Uhed. At no point n Livingston's fl ae the ten shed 1 peak shout heir connections to & Woe of fly and community beyoad the drag ball Th cima nanan eakes he alte cater of ei lies An yt who detemines Ui? ths the way the lack ies vew thei realty oF ths the realty Lington cont? Ces the ogee to wih black me inh pay subcutire are poy scat tf trom area” world heightens te empbasis on fe, a indeed ves Pas ts Burns apc edge. Tra tages ade exch ‘wen we are od thatthe assed Vers as heen ce aad Yetthere sno mopmungof haven ie fl, no nen foc the 1s Pass Baring? 5 sadoes of hs murs. Hang sere the pomp of spectacle he fm abandons hiner, The audience doesnot se Venus afer the ‘mutder. There ate no scenes of ge. To putea, her i ‘pstaged by spect. Deaths ot enetaning or those of us who ld io come to du fin as oye black ‘ay sbculseits Doran Carey's moving eatinony thoughout the ‘im tht males Pans t Burning a memorable experience. Carey ‘both ad cual ie Inthe le Hi expe how he bal nabied marginalized black gay queens empower bots pariipate and audence [es Carey who talks about te sgnicance ofthe sar inthe lfeo gay black men whoare queens Inartsngersuadartocic icant Dyerin his work Heaeonb Bodies Catey tlle vicwes that the desire for stardom a8 expression of the longing ta real the cream ‘fatonomou ala adidas, Reminding readers that he We ‘ofthe incvidaleonnues tobe a major image of wha ears lve Ina democratic word Dyer wate apt puis sf on the aso te oem epee ‘sof anne ke oy shh abt how ey Tae wears ops and gt them herd Cope swealior ool poste) The penne of sci neue oy ‘hea tarweareadoesun sine ascent ack lee daningin eyo waty wat we wan eas ‘uy apna nw ei pc mbes Ge exon ete dual aealeé ona ies ties vrcomny Ton forte repeducian tbe hd clack) mek ts Sri ex Heanalpeseres “This precisely thenaion fandom Carey acustes Meemphaszss {Ge way consumer capitalism undennines the subversive power ct the sagbalh, sbordiatngrinalto spectacle remonngiwilto play ‘nique imaginative coses andthe purchase image Carey seals profoundly about the edeupuve power ofthe imagination in ace ea rg balls ere eaditonal place where te seh oF he lige in elaon co lack gy le cou be expoced wad ompleny andgeace ‘Carey extol the significance of faasy even 38 he ciiques the se of fans o espe really. Analyzing te place of aay fn ick sy subculture, he inks that experience ® the ongng foc state hat 55 so peraave in dus soe. Refusing to allow the “que to be Other, conveys the message that ll of ve resides that longing ‘oranicend the bounds ofl, tobe gonied Speaking about teGS iio 136 BLACKLOOKS snpanance of dg queen eect tevin Aerimags Macon igs sugges tat the quece prise ougiag everyone ba foe Tpntand cogation Seeing la drag quecsa dese very wezal tend tobe loved, ar wel 2 3cse of the jet lonelnes offe whee Soho love yo, Rg conned ts image nea for angbody who Sr besaintncboromspothereticyve been cecedby everbody traoved by mcbody Hcotng Casey Hig decaes "Whats eal for them sth Felzaon that you bave olan tolove yoursell" Carey emer tone ean onl eam love te self when one breaks ‘icp tune eelyetby apngasy Bt ‘Sing that the point aot © pve ts fantasy butt recogsie iinilaoes, he acowtedge tat one mst dsingsh the pace of faomy innained play fem the use of fanasy asa mea xape SAIRS Popper abe wo consrucs ae werd to inhale, otgths spear, Carey encouraging the magnon ‘Guielyiocalanceonsexpacytolvemorefulyinawordbeyond ‘fn. espe the profane impact he mak, wha Riggs wos all's ‘tou oon fhe crag geen th very gid human” Ctey’s TDesage if fen meds cwenbdowed by spectacle isha or ‘Zee ely bear is menage Dy citing absorpon a factaey Tadeamung be lad way pain and aufeig form any proves of Sel-acualeaton, Carey resage medates beween te ewer 0 ‘So voyeunsiclycxcap not vcanousy inhabit hat ved. ‘Ganz cn te ee y exposing the har by challenging 2 of 8 © ‘hint ea. unc Balontnmakes the pot in Ze Fire Next Fine Shur people whe ennot fer can ever row up. can aver Gacover Shotbeyare Wuhout beng venient abostsuferng Doan Cary Unger al of us to break duh denial, hough te longing fr #2 ids sree so that oe ea coffont ad accept usec 3 sre rely teal then can fanany, a, bea ae of eeduction, Piston and play enere evel iy recog, loved and eve Shundoved orbetayed Chapter 10 ae Madonna Plantation Mistress or Soul Sister? Suber comms beset anda atl No mater bow excavgibe ‘dean preta fs bay oraberes, weber ast (Sess hastrcarorepoeie a bc vat perecliay ‘sco fom acta sl prc. ‘White women “sake Madonna, anda Berard and many canes pubely nate their ler In. andsppropnaton of, Black fue as yet another ign of thal alee acy with dat “ast” blackness good white gs say away rem s wi ey sek ‘To white and oer norblack consumers, ths ges them a special ‘vor anadded spice eral very recent phenomenon fear whi gto be abe o get some mueage ou of Tauang het fascination aed envy of Blackest The thing sbout envy is hat shoaysredy wo dentoy, ers, ukeover, and consume the dered ‘bjec Tate exact what Madonaa atemps to do wen she apo- Prites and commesiis aspects of lack cule. Needess 9 Tis Jindoffciaion a tet endangers Pciaps ati hy soma) ‘ofthe grownback omen spoke wih abou Ma done had ao ttesest Inter ar acral on and sad ngs tke, “Thebicheasteven sing” Temas only among young Blac females tha 1 ould od dechard Nadonna fs, Though fen adie and, yes at times, even ery ‘Madonna beets she has crsteda cull space where she can vent paeeaeeeeses sess.