All language subtitles for Kiki.2016.720p.BluRay.x264.AAC-[YTS.MX]

[instrumental music]

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[siren wailing in distance]

[upbeat techno music]

-This uptown downtown one
train to South Ferry

approaching the station.

Please stand away
from the platform edge.

[music continues]

[sirens blaring]

- Everything we do
is a transition

and I feel like
a lot of people can, you know

relate to that experience.

People dressed me up
to be somethin' else.

I was socialized
to be somethin' else

and now I have to, you know

deconstruct all of that to get
to where I was supposed to be

because if you
left it up to me
I would have been like this

since I was four,
when I said I was a girl.

[indistinct chatter]

- ...creme brûlée.

-Hi! How are you?

[indistinct chatter]

- In a heteronormative society
everyone's the same.

That's what they promote.

The Kiki scene is a space
for youth development.

Everyone's unique
and the Kiki scene

is a place for young people
to explore that uniqueness.

- The word is Kiki.

Kiki.
- Kiki.

-Give it to me, give it to me,
give it to me, Kiki.

Let. Let's go. Ready, let's go.

[rap song]

-Can I see
the legendary Chi Chi!

* I'm thinking about
dick bitch *

* I'm thinking about
dick bitch.. **

- Not everybody's gonna
understand

the dynamic and concept
of what ballroom is

or what the Kiki scene is
especially, you know.

But for me, I look at it
as a safe haven

a -- a place that allows,
you know youth

that, that haven't been,
you know

fortunate or given
the opportunity, you know

to have the family,
the friends

or have that support
or network in place

to come and find that.

You know, it's a safe haven.

[indistinct chatter]

-How you doin'?
-Tired.

-Hi.
-Hey.

-I know, honey. I see you
from -- from a distance.

I had to get..
Ah! You just got back?

-Yeah, literally.
-Like, right now.

-Like, right now.
-How are you?

[sighs]

-I'm okay
-The eye story say, "Oh!"

-It was a lot this week.
It was good though.

-Girl, we're gonna
have to get this..

-I haven't twisted it yet --
-You're giving me like..

You're giving me like, girl

hobo chic with a little urban,
um, Bob Marley.

-I got to get it
twisted again.

- Hi, Twiggy.
- Hey.

-Hi, Twiggy.

- Rejection, homophobia

lack of acceptance, um..

...these are, like,
the key things in my opinion

at least,
from my perspective that..

...are the adversities
that stem

to all these other issues.

[indistinct chatter]

-We don't have, we have
our status in the ballroom.

* Up up *

- There was something
known as, um

they called it
the Harlem Drag Circuit.

They were more, like,
masquerade type of events.

Throughout the time,
the '60s, '70s, '80s

it kind of,
like, transitioned.

And, and evolved

into this whole different

competitive scene

um, that is, is now called
the Ballroom scene.

[upbeat music]

* Up up *

[indistinct chatter]

This subset
of that ballroom scene

which is called the Kiki scene

the youth as,
as low as age 12 and 13

they have these same types
of balls as a creative outlet

to get away from all of the
things that put them at risk

the homelessness, the disease

the lack of acceptance,
all these other things.

[indistinct chatter]

[car engine revving]

[indistinct chatter]

- But remember we probably
gonna be saving

some space for like..

-It's in the boxes outside.

-In the boxes?

[indistinct chatter]

[upbeat music]

- Big lady, juicy, pucci.

On the corner..

We have HIV testing up here,
free and confidential.

If you have never tested
for HIV

we'd like to see you up here.

I welcome you all
to the Legends Ball

sponsored by HEAT and GBAND,
give it up!

[applause]

[rap music]

[upbeat music]

[applause]

[indistinct chatter]

- Working a ball is just
as simple as that.

There's a theme of the ball
and the theme of the ball

basically sets
the tone of the categories.

The categories
basically describe

what they're looking for
in each particular category.

[upbeat music]

[indistinct chatter]

So a runway,
they might be calling

for an all black
or couture look.

For Vogue Fem
they might be calling the look
of a rock star.

Anything that it calls for,
that's the look of the night.

[upbeat music]

If the judges like it
then we'll all battle

for the -- for the
cash category.

If not, if the judges
don't like what they see

on the flip side,
they'll chop you.

[upbeat music]

-Music!
- The motherfucking!.

-Music!
- The motherfucking!

-Music!
- The motherfucking!

-Music!
- The motherfucking!

- Music!
- The motherfucking!

Music! Music!

[wind whooshing]

- I am Twiggy Pucci Garçon.

I am the founder
of the Opulent House of Pucci.

I am a community health
specialist. I'm a mother.

I'm a gatekeeper
in my community.

Um..

And I'm a person.

I'm normal. I cry. I laugh.

I have fun.

Um, I party.

I get lonely, um..

But more than anything, I love.

[indistinct chatter]

[upbeat music]

- It's like pilé and stretch.

-Um, Yogi, plug the chord up
into the TV.

They're gonna take
the speaker out there.

Everybody ready?
-Yeah.

Pull slow.

One, two, three

four, five, six

seven, eight, up.

Back over to the.. Hello!

Bring your knees in.

Plant your hands.

Down slow.

Shake it off.

Shake it off, shake it off,
shake it off.

["I'm A Slave 4 You"
by Britney Spears]

[indistinct chatter]

* All you people look at me
like I'm a little girl *

* Well did you ever think
it'd be okay *

* For me to step *

[indistinct chatter]

Hello!

I got.. Hello? Hello? Hello?
Hello?

Hello?

This is the first ever
five hundred dollar

rudeness with a twist.
I got this.

If y'all not commentin'

and it's being productive,
shut up.

This is in four days.
If that. What is it?

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
Yeah, four days.

Thank you.
Five hundred dollars.

Treyvon,
get it the fuck together.

- I don't know if I'm gonna be
able to do it.

-Well, ye.. No, you're
gonna be able to do it.

Get it together. You can dance.

- One, two, three four.

One, two, three, four.

-Same group again.
Y'all fucked up.

- Seven, eight. One two --
- Again.

Left foot first.
- Two, three, four.

[rhythmic clapping]

[indistinct rapping]

[indistinct chanting]

[indistinct chanting]

[music continues]

[laughter]

[indistinct chatter]

- Can we get a mop
on aisle one?

She left her pussy
on the floor.

Come on, scrub that up.

You got juice on the floor.

[indistinct chatter]

Can y'all bring it in, in, in.

[indistinct chatter]

Alright, alright.

I'm goin' around the room,
what's your progress.

If you're walking,
so, Shannon..

[chuckling]

- I remember, like, bein'
young and bein' in school

and knowing, but I always used
to fight it, like

"No, that can't be possible,
that's not true."

And I just really fought it
for a long time.

'Cause I didn't really
believe it

and bein' the way
I was raised, like

my dad's, like, a macho man

and, like,
being raised in Harlem

and this type of thing, like..

It's kind of, like

the perception of a guy,
or a young boy growing up

you have to be masculine,
you have to play sports

and you have to do this,
that and the third.

So I had to, I felt like
I had to live up to that

because my parents
would be disappointed

or my dad
would be really upset.

I remember, like,
bein' in school

and, um..

...we had like, we had like
activities after school

like, when it would end,
and I joined

like, this thing
where we danced

and I had a dance instructor
and I remember she..

We did a dance to this song
called "Peaches And Cream"

by 112,
and we did the dance.

And I came home to show my dad,
'cause I was just so excited

I was in dance,
I'm was like, "Oh, yeah"

so, I came home
to show my dad the dance

and I'm like, "Look",
and I'm in the living room

doin' the dance he was,
like, he was so upset.

So I just
went into my room, like

my mom was, like, "Don't dance."

[instrumental music]

-Hey, look at her,
look at her.

Bam! Watch out
for the street, girl.

[laughing]

[indistinct chatter]

- I'm known
as a very strong person

and I always
had to be, growin' up.

When you're one of a kind,
you get targeted

and, um, I guess, like

as a defense mechanism

to fight off attacks

against my identity

I come off as very serious
and no-nonsense.

And I'm tall,
and I'm very imposing

um, if I walk down
the street pleasant

I would probably be attacked
and bullied.

That was a nice little ball.

[indistinct chatter]

- Fuck her right in the pussy!

-Oh, my God.
- What y'all doing?

-We're celebrities.
-Pussy..

-Oh, my God she caught that..

Right, I told you these kids..

[indistinct chatter]

Do not play with me, little boy.
Hold up.

Hold on, I'm sorry.

Hold on, do not play with me,
do not play with me.

'Cause I will slap the shit
out of one of y'all.

Do not play with me. Right,
do not be disrespectful.

I don't know y'all.
It's not funny.

'Cause I will slap
the shit out of you

and make you go
get your fuckin' brother.

Why does everyone brand you..

Your mother's a faggot!

No, I wanna, I want him
to come here, so I can rock him.

[indistinct chatter]

-I'm triggered.
- You're triggered?

-Yeah. Yeah, no, I'm serious.

- You're okay?
-No.

-No?

- Who was I before ballroom?

I was a person who..

...was lost.

Um, I was a person who

wasn't confident
in my ability to do.

Um, and,
because I found a community

that appreciates me

and all of me, um..

Like, I'm able to be myself.

-Honestly, like, I'm not trans

but -- but, I'm not transgender

but I would say,
if you really look at the term

and view it for what it is
I am in the cont..

like, fall within the continuum

because, like,
I do identify as a man

but, there's something about me
that's n.. different

like, I'm a man.
I know I'm a man.

But I'm different
and that's me, like

I'm just,
I'm of trans experience

but I'm not,
you know completely,
I won't, you know..

If I was comfortable enough
to come her in drags I would.

You know, I just need,
like, a buddy

like, if someone was doin' it
with me, I would do it

'cause we could go through
the experience together..

This clip happened even before
I started transitionin'.

I probably started,
maybe, like..

Actually, for a fact

I started the next semester..

...because I went back trans.

[indistinct chatter]

-She called me three years ago
on the phone and said to me

"Ma, I made a decision to live
my life as a woman".

And I'm like, "What?"

So then I thought about it
for a minute

while she was on the phone.

I said "Whatever
your decision is, I'm with you."

I accept it.

I think she's sexy, like me.
Feel me?

She's beautiful. Like me.

What? She is. Um..

You know,
I know about Gia's friend

that they beat up
on 129th Street

and they killed him, her.
You know, um..

I worry about that stuff.

I mean, if I didn't care,
I wouldn't worry.

-Usually people will tell you
there's things you're

not supposed to do, there's
things you are supposed to do.

Gia's steppin' into
a new boundary.

She's basically
defying the law of science.

Who would of knew a male
could develop breasts

go get a breast change,
a sex change.

I feel like Gia's a,
she's a very big role model

and inspiration to people

and I think people
should look at that more

'cause there is no difference
between any human being.

-Gia's phenomenal.

I'mma tell you
when she was 12, 13 years old

she was the number one
debater of the city

and when she was 16 years old,
or 17 years old

she became the number one
debater of the state.

So, she's phenomenal.

[indistinct rap song on stereo]

- If you don't know
what a house is

it's just a,
in our vernacular

uh, what we call a team.

So, team is just, we just use
the word "House"

for the word team.

For you to be a house mother
or father

which is also known
as the team captain, um

the responsibilities
that you have to hold

as a house mother or father
at 16 years old

um, you have a house
full of 15, 20 plus members

and you have to cater
to all of them.

That's a lot of responsibility
for a young teenager

who might come from parents

who have thrown them out
in the street

and become homeless, you know.

They say we often
become the parents

we never had
and we help each other

like, the guidance
that we have for each other.

[indistinct chatter]

- My name is Symba.

My role in the Kiki scene,
I'm one of the commentators.

[indistinct chatter]

You stay. Give them
a round of applause.

[applause]

The next prize..

[indistinct chatter]

When you come into the scene,
you, you create a family.

You have gay brothers,
gay sisters

and you can
pick your gay parents

or your gay parents pick you.

You know, you, you find
the people you fit in with

and everybody loves you
as if they're family.

[upbeat music]

[indistinct chatter]

[cheering]

[cheering]

- Let me tell y'all something.

When y'all are at a ball

and I repeat this
time and time again.

Y'all are there
to represent this house.

Y'all can walk..

Hold on, I'm telling y'all this

the minute
that y'all go out there

and ruin it for the next bitch

I will cut the string short

and I will tell y'all
that y'all on blackout

and I will
start picking balls for y'all

and I would hate to do that.

[indistinct chatter]

-Hold on.
- Stop sayin' my name.

You and you,
and I'm dead..

Stop saying my name,
and I'm dead.

Stop! Stop sayin' my name!
Or I'm deadass.

- Hold on. Sit down, sit down.

-I'm not playin' with you!

- Chocolate. Chocolate.
-I'm dead serious.

- Take him outside.
Take him outside.
-I'm dead serious.

I'm not playin' with you.

- And that's what I told y'all
about playin'.

See what y'all get for playin'?

That's why I tell y'all,
y'all need to listen.

- Somebody quit.
- Hold on.

This is what I don't want
happening

in front of other houses.
This type of act.

Because this.. You know
what -- what that's gonna do.

I'm co.. I'm talkin' now.
I'm gonna be fierce now.

If that goes on,
I'm tellin' y'all

bitches is puttin' straight up
out this house.

Y'all, I'mma tell you, I'm
a fierce motherfuckin' cookie.

I will put mothers, fathers

nephews, cousins
everybody out the house.

I will go into this house ball
with ten motherfucking members

and appreciate
those ten members that I have

if y'all cannot cooperate
with what we're doing.

[indistinct chatter]

- Everybody get registered
to vote.

'Cause if you're not,
go sign up now to vote.

Please vote now.
- Please vote now.

-So you know,
we know that Obama's..

You know
the whole presidential election

a lot of agencies
are being hit hard.

So the agencies
that y'all are used to

the GMACs, the FACEs, the Harlem
Uniteds, the Mount Sinais

some of those places might not
be there in the next few years

if, if we don't get
Obama into office.

I'm talkin' about major
cutbacks, from HIV health care

to STDs, to hospitals,
to everything

that you can imagine that
affects us, will be affected.

You got to understand
that when you have people

fighting over money,
the Republicans

don't understand why they, why

you know,
we need these resources

'cause it doesn't affect
their community.

It only affects the people
who are less fortunate

all the -- all the people
of color.

- Word.

[indistinct chatter]

- I wonder how different
things would be

if I wasn't Chi Chi Mizrahi.

For the last eight years since
I've been named Chi Chi

that's who, you know,
I've been living as.

And it's like,
Francisco Gonzales

was who I was before then.
I was a young boy.

I didn't know..
Scared, I guess.

But before then I was hanging
out with the straight people.

- Express train
is now arriving

on the upper level.

Please stand away
from the platform edge.

[indistinct chatter]

-See, that's why
I never use lotion.

I hate lotion.
-Really?

Never use lotion
ever in my life.

- What do you put on?
-Nothing..

The first time I met Zariya
was almost two years ago.

Umm..

she came to one
of the, um, ball practices.

And, so when I walk into
the room I had looked over

and she was sitting
by the doorway

and she was sitting
right there, I was like

"Oh, wow, you're,
you're beautiful."

[indistinct chatter]

- I wasn't aware that it was,
like, a house.

- A house meeting.
It is like an open house.

- But.. Open house, basically,
like, for new members.

I was really, like,
newbie to the scene.

So I just was sitting
in my own little corner

and then I just remember
you approaching me

and I'm like, he was, I don't
know, it was just weird

'cause I never really
had no.. anybody

stand in front of me and say,
like, "You're gorgeous."

-Are you excited about--

-Yes, I'm so excited. Like..

It's his first ball walking.

It's his first time ever walking
a ball in the Kiki house

real scene, walking face.

What up!

And this is my daughter,
come here daughter.

Say hi, daughter.
This is my daughter, Zay.

-Hi.
- Hi.

-So what do you think
about this, daughter?

This is what
I'm thinking about doing..

Cause you're gonna
have the jacket

and you're gonna
have the foof at the bottom.

And this is gonna be
cut up the middle

and then, I ha- then we're gonna
find you some tights

or something like that.
You got it?

- Alright.

-You look nervous.
Why you look nervous?

-Uh, no, it's not,
it's not that.

- 'Cause you are?
Are you skeptical?

Are you a little worried?

-About the walk?
- Uh-huh.

-Not worried, I..

When I came out into the scene

the scene helped me
realize that

transition was possible
from a male to a female

and to be able to live
the life, you know

that you want to live.

* All you people look at me
like I'm a little girl *

* Well did you ever think
it be okay *

* For me to step
into this world *

* Always saying little girl
don't step into the club.. **

- Have fun. Take your time.

Y'all look fucking awesome.
Sell it!

- That was young, like I..

I think when I came to the
scene, I was, like, 16.

- Sixteen?

- So, going through puberty

and seeing myself, be like,
getting more masculine

like, that was frightening.

My home situation
wasn't, like..

My parents
aren't very supportive.

So, I don't know, it was just,
at that time I was going

through certain things
that they wouldn't understand.

So that's when I started
to realize, gradually, that

you know, this is something
I wanted to do that

you know, I would see, like

the friends
that I have around me

and then realizing that

it's possible to be happy
living this lifestyle.

You know, some people
want to transition

but they don't have the courage
to do it.

But I just thought, like,
I couldn't, like, you know

I couldn't contain it, like

so, this is the step
I want to take.

When I get to the point where I,
like, when I'm

while I'm through my transition,
you know, this year

you know, taking hormones
and everything like that.

When I achieve the look I want,
or get somewhere close

then I'll get my name changed
and then be 24/7

and just go through with it.

[dogs barking]

[indistinct chattering]

- My name is Divo.

I've been in the Kiki scene
for a good four years now.

I'm very to myself, like,
unless I'm comfortable.

And I'm comfortable voguing.

I learned how to vogue going
to The Door on Spring Street.

I used to watch the girls
come in

and go to the Kiki lounges
and stuff

and I used to observe them.

I wasn't really fully out
about myself then.

I was still more in the closet,
so, anything

that was too feminine to me
was funny at that time.

So now that I kinda
accept myself more

it doesn't seem as funny,
and -- and like

after a while, like,
it kind of grew on me

so I wanted to learn it,
so after I learned it

I fell in love
with it, really.

[rap music]

I used to vogue
on the train platforms

and the Chinese restaurant.

People used to give us money

because they didn't know
what the heck we was doing.

[music continues]

[cheering]

[rhythmic clapping]

-There's no real dance here.

All we're talking about..

In our categories,
we're labeled, right?

Female figure face, male face

female figure body, male body.

But we, we also go beyond that

because you have those
who come as the twinks

who walk female figure realness.

The one thing that -- that
changes societies norms

of masculinity, femininity,
is the fact that in ballroom

we can be whatever we want
to be, you know what I'm saying?

I can choose
to be masculine or feminine.

I can choose to get up in them
and sell it like this

or I can choose to be up in them
and still sell it like this.

Who's to say a -- a female
can't be hardcore

and sell it like masculine,
but still be feminine

in features, you know
what I'm saying?

In this house, I don't want us
to have labels.

Simply this, you walk realness.

Doesn't matter
what realness it is

but you know that whoever
your character is, is real.

It's automatic, it's you.

No one can tell you
that it's not.

It's you, you're real.

[upbeat music]

Yeah I'm looking at you
to sell it.

You got to sell it to me.

You saw that change?

She was, like, nervous,
and then I asked

"Do you find yourself sexy?"
"Of course, yes!"

You saw how your body

went from straight square,
"I'm nervous"

to, "I'm sexy,
yes, of course!"

I'm selling because I'm
comfortable in me.

I know that I'm sexy.

So I'm just selling it
in the way that I can.

No matter what. But I'm never
keeping my eyes off you.

If there's a judges of panels

if there's a panel of judges

I'm selling it
to every last person.

Let me see it again.

-I need a breeze.

I'm gonna make this
a disclaimer.

I'm not a drag queen
nor a fem queen

or a women of trans experience

I just like to play
in women's clothing, okay?

[laughs]

This is my favorite section.

See the size 12 here, people?

See how big this shoe is?

Woman, man.

Man, woman.

Woman, man.

Manly woman.

Womanly man.

There we go. So these are my
boots for the weekend.

Okay.

[sighs]

The normal reaction of usually
ladies inside

they will all be looking at me
really funny.

Like, "Oh, why is this guy
trying on women's boots for?"

And they're thinking, like,
"Oh, maybe he's a drag queen

or maybe he's just like this"

but they don't forget
that we're also artistic

and there's certain things
that us men cannot retrieve

that women have,
so, we just, you know..

I don't say I'm a cross dresser,
but, I mean

for the entertainment value,
why not?

Okay.

You see this?

See that?

See that? See that?

Hah. High kickin'
and everything, America.

They're nice, they're edgy.
I just got to finish them off.

I'll put some spikes on them

some -- some thumbtacks,
some studs

and get them up to the point
where I need them.

Oh, I wish this wasn't black.

Look at this nice little belt
in black.

Going across, that's very high
fashion, right?

Very, like, Comm de Garçon
about it.

I'm just excited.

It's been a while
since I've walked a ball.

Kiki ball.

Like got it, in the affect
and everything.

["Anaconda" by Nicki Minaj]

* My anaconda don't want none
unless you got buns hun *

* Oh my gosh

* Look at her butt.. *

- Free HIV testing
going on upstairs.

Know your status, girls.

Oh. Pump the beat.

[indistinct rapping]

- Um, can you just do me
one thing?
- What?

- Grab that, the, uh,
the, uh, blow dryer

and just put it inside my
suitcase, pretty please.

Right here.

[indistinct chatter]

It is so hot.

I'm wearing leather

and I feel like

all the energy is coming
out of my pores right now.

But, I'm ready to walk.

- Thank you..

-Don't you judge me, okay?

-Is Millie here?

[upbeat music]

-What is that? What category?

What category? What category?

Okay, work.

[sighs]

-Judges, this is
for Billy Greg. Alright?

With a look, a high-fashion look

with a pump, wedge,
or platform boots.

DJ beats.

Supreme.

Supreme.

Supreme.
My word today is supreme.

Pump.

Pump.

Pump.

Pump, on the count of three.
According to me.

Give me one. One in the front.

One in the back. Two Legend.
Two icon.

Three icon. Three legend.

Icon stays, give Chi Chi
a round of applause.

[applause]

They gave pump in a pump pump.

The girls gave
pump in a pump pump.

-I do not suck nobody's ass,
whether you're HMI, the Door

or -- or X, Y and Z.

The fact of the matter is,
miss thing

without us, there would be
none of this bullshit.

So I should have somebody
on the panel.

One vote.

-Oh, oh.
- You know.

-Oh, okay. Africa,
what category are they on?

-Um, face. Right now.
-Okay.

I'll be right back.
-No problem.

This -- this detail cost me $45.

I'm glad that's over.

Now I can start the party.

[instrumental music]

- When I first came out

I was, I guess you could say,
a pier head

and, like,
a lot of my friends,
like, we used to, like

stay on the pier
and vogue all day

all night
until the pier closed.

And then we'll leave

and probably still not
head home

just walk around the city
until we got tired

of walking around the city
and go home.

Honestly if it wasn't
for the pier, like

there wouldn't be no Divo.

[siren blaring]

-Police!

[indistinct chattering]

- I feel like society
is startin' to look at us

all the same
and it's not fair.

I've been arrested probably
three times my whole life.

They treated us like garbage,
like, just straight garbage

and it was, it was embarrassing.
It was hurtful.

And I never thought that I would
feel like that

'cause I've always been the type
of person to not care.

But I actually really felt hurt
after a while

because they was really treatin'
us like

"Oh, 'cause you're
in the ballroom scene

"I know y'all do this,
I know y'all do that.

"We've arrested so many people
from this type of house

or da-da-da-da," like,
it was just like

they was treatin' us, like..
we're all the same person

and people sort of realize
regardless if we all

label under gay,
label under lesbian

label under transgender,
whatever, we're all individuals.

- It's so funny, the police
in The Village

tend to be the most homophobic.

Which is weird.

You know this is weird.

Our "subculture," our community
comes to congregate

and just have fun

but the police,
they are, like, horrible.

-They're rude.

-Really disrespectful.
Really rude.

Really hostile.

Even if we is
not doing anything.

[rap music]

* Show me how you pump
like a legend *

* Show me how you walk
like a legend *

* Pump

* Show me how you pump
like a legend *

* Show me why you are legend

* Pump

* Show me why you walk
like a legend *

* Show me how you walk
like a legend *

* Walk walk like a legend

* Walk like a legend

* Pump like a legend

* Show me how you pump
like a legend walk *

* Show me how you walk
like a legend *

* Show me why you pump
like a legend *

* Show me how you walk
show me why you walk *

* Show me how you pump
like a legend *

* And go

* And go *

- Like, honestly, like,
me be coming from a big city

I say all the time, like

this would confine me, this
would make me feel restricted.

This would make me feel like --
-It does a lot of people --

-Like, I mean, I don't know
how I would escape this

'cause it seems so limiting.

Like, looking around
you don't see

many opportunities, like,
I mean, like, like

you don't see nothin'
that says

"Hey, like, I can make it,"
you know what I mean?

- I just believe that everyone
should be proud

of where they, where they
come from.

This is where I'm from.

I live in New York,
but I'm from Virginia.

This is my high school.

- Wow, this is fancy.

- It's very stereotypical.

Very stereotypical
and very homophobic

where.. How I grew up.

So, it wasn't okay for a man

to be openly feminine
or openly gay

especially if you
were part of the church.

I was 14 or 15.

I was told that, um, people
were bringing up my mannerisms

and then that led them
to believe that I was gay

and that, if I didn't change
how I was acting

that they would ask me
to leave the church.

I was always at church.

Everybody knew that
I was always at church..

...and, um, it really hurt.

It really hurt.

-Put it on me. I don't want,
I don't want the gloss.

-Just the lipstick?
- Mm-hm.

Do I need lip gloss?
-Uh-uh.

-Okay.

[laughing]

He's my makeup artist.

If you're gay, you still
can be spiritual

and no one can ever
take away your salvation.

He told me as a teenager,
I think. Right?

You were in high school.
- High school.

-Yes.

He was in high school.

And at that time I thought
it was just a phase.

And then later
when he went to New York

he says, "Mom, no it's not.
It's not just a phase.

I'm gay."

I told him I loved him
no matter what.

I didn't accept it at first,
like I should have.

I did not, I'll be
honest with you.

Um, but like I said,
knowledge is a powerful thing

and as I began to research, um

about the LGBT community,
and gay

I do know and I believe
in my heart

that children can be born gay.

-All these layers and levels
and intersections

that happen with just anyone
being who they are.

So, a young black man,
that's one thing.

And then, a young black gay man,
that, like, adds another layer.

Um, and then, if you
present yourself

anyone, whether it's me
or someone else

va -- varying
on your gender expression

so, if you're more masculine
or more feminine

that, like, can change
the conversation

or how people perceive you
or treat you too.

So there's, like, all these
different layers

and that's just for someone
like me, who's a black, gay man

you know, a young,
black, gay man.

But then,
what if it's a trans woman

or a lesbian or a --

-A trans man.
-Or a trans man. Or like..

So there's all these, yeah.

-Are they treated the same?
-Worse.

-Sometime worse.
-I think people
who are transgender

or of trans experience
are treated worse.

It's much harder for them.

-There are a lot of parents
that can't deal with the issue

of them coming out
of the closet.

Um, but you should never
tell your child

to get out of the home.

That's just wrong.

Pray about it, go to therapy,
if you have to.

But never tell your child
to get out of the house.

- You were able to,
to find this understanding.

-Yes.
- What about Twiggy's father?

-He didn't accept it.

I'm not going to say anything
bad about Ryan's father

but he did not accept it.

He said it was my fault.
He blamed me.

Um, but he didn't accept it.
Yes.

[instrumental music]

[instrumental music]

[music continues]

- How long ago
since you were here?

-Nine years old.
- Nine years old?

[engine revving]

- I'm that type of person.

I don't like to..

...let my situation
run my life

because there's always
something out there

worse than yours.

So what's the sense in me

walking around
with my head down.

There's people out here
going through

way worse than me.

- What would it be like
to, to vogue here?

How would that be?
Like, would that feel weird?

-It would be very weird.

[laughs]
It's like --

- Well, how would
people react?

Like, what would,
you know, why --

-It wouldn't be
a cute reaction.

Not too many people
that are homosexual

in this area are open like that.
So..

So actually, when I was growing
up here I wasn't out so for them

to see me like this now, they
wouldn't know how to accept it.

I always felt like I was
in the wrong skin growin' up

because I liked girls but..

It was always a part of me
that I liked boys too.

So my mother,
she kinda influenced it

but I didn't understand
why she was so upset

as I got older and I told her
the truth, that I was.

It would be times, like,
if me and my mother

would get into some argument,
she would kick me out

and I wouldn't necessarily
have anywhere to go

and she wouldn't care.

There was times
I slept on the train.

Desperate times when I would,
like, stayed on people's
couches.

So, like, I've dealt
with a lot.

[indistinct chatter]

- Oh, Ziraya's dancing.

Oh, there she goes,
there she goes.

[laughs]
Ziraya Voguing.

[indistinct chatter]

-I got my Adam's apple shaved.

I had my hairline lowered.
Yeah, chin shaved.

I had my hairline lowered,
my brow bones shaved.

[indistinct]

You can see my hairline
if I take this..

This goes off by the way.

But it's really subtle?

-Makes you a whole
different person now.

- I do have my days
when I'm a little paranoid.

When I feel like
there are boys staring at me

and they're, like,
you know, trying to

they call it 'getting in',
feel like they're trying
to get in

you know, kinda see,
what my gender identity is.

And then there are days
when I'm like okay,
they're just looking.

And when I first
had FF surgery
which is facial feminization.

And that's from, him, I guess,
making an incision right here

and I had, like,
an Adam's apple

that was somewhat prominent
so I had that shaved.

Um, I also had,
this is a wig.

[laughs]
I also had my,
um, my hairline lowered.

So, that's why
I'm wearing the wig

to kind of, you know,
allow my hair to breath

I'm just guarding it properly.

And that's from
the hairline lowering.

So it goes straight
across my forehead.

You should see the other side.

The procedure is really quick.

Um, I'm kinda healing

really quickly, very well.

Um, it doesn't hurt.

Are you aware
of what a gaft is?

Basically it's a contraption,
um, that many trans women use

to conceal their lady parts.

That day I got out
of the shower
and I put on a gaft.

My mother, like, busts
in my room, she sees me

and just imagine seeing,
like, I guess

your sixteen-year-old son
standing there

with, every, like, it looks
like there's nothing there.

Everything's concealed.

And she's like, "What the fuck
do you have on?"

She said, "What you are doing
is un-fucking natural."

And then I was, I said,
"That's not for you to decide

what's natural,
what's unnatural."

She came back in the room

and she said,
"What did you say to me?"

and then she smacked me.

She was crying, and then, like

she, like, took me
by my throat

and slammed me into the wall.

And she said, "If this
is the life you wanna live

then get your shit
and get the fuck out my house."

From there I ran
to Chi Chi's job

and I don't usually, like,
I'm not really like, you know

very emotional so like,

when something, like, causes me

to cry and, like, it would have
to, like, really, like, you know

something really strong
and like, something

that really, like,
impacted me, you know?

-That was a hard day.

'Cause, I -- I didn't even know
what to do.

Like, you don't ever
prepare yourself

for somethin' like that.
Like, what do you do?

Like. Like, how much
can you help?

Like, what do you say?
What do you do?

How do you react?

[siren blaring]

- A lot of our young people
are finding ways to survive.

And the great thing
about our young people

is that they're one of a kind.

They have these survival
mechanisms that they learn.

Um, because of what
they go through.

A lot of us, I believe, don't
have families who support us

when we come
out of the closet.

A lot of families
don't support us

when we decide
we wanna transition.

And, so, when we deal
with those battles.

We go out into the world

saying, "How are we
going to make it?"

And, in New York City,
one of the greatest cities

in the world, um,
you need money to survive.

And how do we get that

when people aren't hiring us?

How do we get that when
people aren't supporting us?

We need a way to survive.

We need a way to eat.

We need a way to transition,
for those who transition.

How am I gonna pay
for my hormones?

-Can everybody please sign
the HMI sign-in sheet

that's going around
that's colorful on the top?

- Hello. Hello!

-I'm not gonna talk
over y'all. That's no shade.

I'm really not.

So the way that it's set up

is that there's the Kiki
Coalition, period, right?

And then there's the CVO body
and there's the Parent's body.

We all together make up
the Kiki Coalition

and that's the checks
and balances.

So if you have an issue

then, yes you're more
than welcome to come.

-Um, We're looking at a
pandemic, um, in our community.

And I don't think we understand
that 60 percent of black men

will be HIV positive
by the time they're 40.

Um, 60 percent, that's more
than half of this room

will be HIV positive
at some point

in their life
before they're 40.

- Hello, everyone.

Um, I just wanna start off
by saying, is that

I think that this panel
is very unique.

The Kiki scene
is composed of the youth.

You know, a lot of times
we target

you know, the most
at risk populations.

Within the LGBTQ community
we have homelessness

we have disease such as HIV.

Um, police injustices,
sexual exploitation.

-I had an experience where
I had a sugar daddy at that age

and he took me to a party where
it was just everyone having sex

and whatever,
and I did some things.

And as a result of that,
it took me about

three years after that

to get tested
and the reason why's because

because of the setting
and because of me knowing

what happens
in that environment.

I automatically told myself

"Okay, well, it's like,
50 people in here

and, you know, God forbid,
you're already HIV positive."

So I had it in my mentality
for three years

that I was positive.

I lived my life, day by day,
just going ahead.

Didn't really speak
about the topic.

Didn't really go get tested
because once you put yourself

in that mentality,
like, it was just

I didn't want the confirmation.

So when I finally got tested
and it came back negative

I was shocked.

Like, you can ask my brothers,
like, I was literally

just sitting there
for, like, ten minutes.

Like, "I don't believe this,
test me again."

- So I remember,
um, I was home

and one of my gay children

were staying with me
at that time

and I just remember, like, very
rapidly starting to get sick.

Like, flu-like symptom, kind of.

And because I was honest
with myself about the behavior

that I'd been taking part
of, uh, prior to that

in my head,
I just said to myself.

"It happened. I'm HIV positive."

And I was just
so strong about it.

And I just knew.

So, um, it was a day in July

um, I woke up

and my gay son
was layin' next to me

and I told him, "I'm leaving."

And he was like,
"Where you going?"

I was like, "I'm going
to get tested."

And it was on a weekday.

I don't remember
what day of the week it was.

But I went
to the Department of Health

and I got tested

and, um, I'd been tested
there before.

So usually, um,
because they're unprofessional

um, if you're negative,
while you're sitting

in the concierge lobby area

they'll tell you out loud,
"Oh your test is fine.

You can go home."
This day was very different.

Um, the guy came to me and
he said follow him to the back.

That's when I knew.

And, um, he sat me down

and he sat right across from me
and he was speaking.

I heard him and then he said
my test came out positive

and he kept speaking

and everything after that
was a blur.

Um, and, I was just..

Although I knew,
I was a bit dumbfounded.

Like, "Did he just say that?"

Because he just kept talking

there wasn't,
like, no concern

in his voice or anything.

And I asked, I said, "Did you
just say my test was positive?"

And he said, "Yeah."

And in that moment,
I didn't cry.

Nothing.

The only thing
I thought to myself

was, "Shit, I became
a statistic."

[indistinct chatter]

-Okay, everybody, like,
gather, like not be so separate.

We're startin'
with a moment of silence.

Our community is on very
intimate terms with death

and, and, that, that comes
from complications from HIV.

It comes from police
brutality, it comes from

all sorts of health issues,
it comes from suicide.

Um, it comes from hate crimes,
um, it comes from --

A lot of things.

Obviously, we're gathered here
in honor of Travis.

It was somethin' about him from
the very first time I saw him

that it -- it was just
this light about Travis

just like all these candle
lights here.

Um, Travis was a friend.

He was a son, a -- a brother,
a sister to many.

And I know it's a sad occasion
when anyone passes

but you have to think about it
from the perspective

of, his last month here
he was in a lot of pain

and Travis
isn't in pain anymore.

And the guiding light
that so many
of you speak about

he can still continue to be.

So today, I say
that Travis didn't die.

Travis lives on through
each and every one of you

who showed up today.

And Travis we speak your name.

* Why should

* I feel

* Discouraged?

* And why

* Should the shadows

* Come?

* Why should my heart

* Feel lonely?

* And long

* For heaven

* And home? *

- I used to get abused
when I was younger.

I kind of went through it all.

I went through
the emotional abuse.

Like the verbal.

I went through the physical.

I went through sexual,
not with my family

but I've been, I -- I was
molested at eight years old.

When you're so young and
something like that happens

to you, you don't really know
how to handle it.

And I didn't open up about it
until I got older

so even to this day
it's kind of hard
for me to deal with it.

And so I kinda lashed out

in the outside world
instead of on my family.

That's why I used to get
suspended a lot.

The ball scene really did help
me because when I vogue

like, that's why
I give so much when I vogue

because it's more
of an emotion.

Like, Voguin' is not just a
dance to me. Voguin' is a art.

It's somethin',
it's, like, a outlet to me.

[instrumental music]

* I'm a super super super
with a S on my chest *

* Banshee hot

* Banshee hot

* Banshee hot

* Banshee hot

* Banshee hot

* Banshee hot

* Banshee hot banshee ban -- ban
-- ban banshee hot **

- I don't see our story
being told in history.

What does it mean
for the black LGBT community?

For our story, ballroom
is a part of that story

to not be anywhere.

Rockland Palace was a space
in the 1920s and 30s

where the original
drag balls were held.

Thousands of people gathered
at Rockland Palace

to see these drag balls.

And it was a space in which

black and brown LGBTQ people,
um, in Harlem

were able to be who they felt
were their true selves

and to express themselves.

[instrumental music]

I'm Twiggy,
this is Sara Jordeno.

Um, January of this year
we started a project

to expose the Kiki scene
to mainstream society.

While we were doing research,
we discovered this place

which in the 1920s and 30s
was Rockland Palace

where the original Harlem Drag
Balls were held.

So tonight we are gonna
reincarnate this place

and have a Kiki ball here.

Many of you know Travis Fetch
Pucci, rest in peace.

Um, who we lost
earlier this year

so I want to thank someone
special that's in the crowd.

Travis' mother.

[crowd cheering]

[rap music]

[rap music]

-Uh-uh.

[indistinct chatter]

-Whose coming? Come on?

Somebody come with me.

[rap music]

-Point one.

Two-one, three-one, four-one.

Four, four-two.

- When people
step onto the ballroom floor.

They're, they're, not just
competing in a category.

They're tellin' their story.

So, someone who walks is
telling you, "I am beautiful."

This is who I am.

I'm lovely, no matter what you
say, no matter what you think.

I am beautiful.

- No one ever understood me
growin' up.

Like, you have boys
and you have girls

and, like, I didn't wanna be
with the boys

and I couldn't be
with the girls

and so I was always,
like, left alone.

In order for my mother
to make ends meet.

She had to put one
of her kids on the line

and I was the one chosen
to be-to go to special ed.

To get money to, to help
take care of their child.

I did act out.

I had, I didn't,
I had behavioral problems.

I felt like
I had to be big and bad

in order to not be bullied.

Because I was so feminine.

And especially when it's a
system that fails students

like myself, you never learn.

I got myself out, like,
I advocated for myself

at 12 years old
to get out of that.

Um, and I did
because I didn't need it.

[indistinct chatter]

It's like, I've, I've
self-advocacy is all I have.

That's all I ever had.

Um, and I don't,
and I don't blame anyone

because I just wonder,
like, "Why me?"

Like, why was I chosen

to be that one.

It resulted in more teasing,
you know, more fighting

because I was fri --

I wasn't normal, you know?

Um, but I did it

and I, and I removed myself
from it and I excelled.

* Gia

* Juicy ah

* Gia ah yeah

* Gia ah yeah

* Runway ah yeah

* Gia ah.. *

I'm the first one
to go to college.

I'm the first from my family
to do a lot.

[indistinct chatter]

And I'm the trans one.
Like, I'm the one who --

You know, it's so funny
'cause sometimes I feel

like I'm the odd one out
and I'm left out.

But I know
they're not ashamed of me

because, like, I'm so great.

You can't be ashamed of me.

Like, I've traveled.

I have a good job,
like, I have education.

- I did great at school
but, it's like, I dropped

out of school in ninth grade

Used drugs early
so I just asked myself

like, what made me,
like, where, like --

Where was I at in, in my life to
make me wanna do these things?

You know what I mean?

And still, even, you know,
you know, even to this day

I ask myself, you know, when,
like, I go out

to the club sometime
and I'm, you know, doin' a molly

or I'm smokin' a blunt
or I'm havin' a cocktail.

Like, what's making me do this?
Am I enjoying it?

Am I doing it 'cause I want to?

Or, am I doing it
'cause it's -- it's an escape

and it's comfort,
it's normal for me.

And when I was doin'
heavy drugs earlier on

in my life,
you know what I mean.

I felt like I could have been
in college with degrees

and successful,
you know, above and beyond.

And, I mean,
I still can ob -- obtain it

but I spent so much
on -- on life just living

but I don't know
how much quality of living

I've put towards actually
bettering myself.

[instrumental music]

I was working. I had a job.

I had my own, I had my,
a roommate that

that I was living with and
I mean, he didn't even know

until I was able
to verbally tell him

like, this is my issue.

He was, like, "Look at you,
like, you work all this time"

"and you bust your ass
and here you are.

"You know, doin' everything
for everybody

"and this is how
you want to leave your legacy.

"Is for people to think that
after all the great things"

"you've done, that you were
just a drug addict?

[instrumental music]

[music continues]

-Hi. I'm looking for, um, the
elastic, like long elastic

but with the sequins on it.

So, like, this is my body,
I guess

so I want it coming down,
like this and then..

- And the back also?
-And on the back also.

Like from my shoulder to..

Okay.

My dad is very aggressive.

He's, He's, like, a macho man.

He's very,
he's very aggressive.

He's, he's got,
sometimes he can be scary

so I was scared to tell him..

'cause I didn't know how he
would react

and my mother didn't know
how he would react either

'cause she knows how he is.

So we basically kept it
from him for, like, six years.

Then I eventually told him.

I told him
right before New Year's

and I was scared
to call him and tell him

'cause I didn't
know with his voice.

I was scared.
So, I texted to him.

And the way it happened, it
just happened all so perfectly

because, um, around that time
he would ask my brothers

and sisters,
"Um, hey, is Chris gay?"

And they knew and they
were just protecting me

so they would say,
"Oh no, I don't know

I don't think he is, just,
just, brushing it off."

And then one time he asked
my little brother, who's 16.

He had said,
he asked him if I'm gay

and then my brother
said, "No."

And then he said, "Well,
if he's scared to tell me

or if he is, just tell him
he doesn't have to be scared.

He can tell me."

So when I, when my little
brother told me that

I felt, like, a sigh of relief
like, "Okay, finally."

So I text him and I said,
"I heard you were asking Justin"

which is my brother.

"Um, if I was gay or not"

And he was, like, "Yeah."

And I said, "Well, I am
and I was scared to tell you

'cause I was scared
how you'd react."

And he was just,
he said the same thing

my mom said, like,
"You're my son.

I'm gonna love you regardless
and that's just that.

You do what you
wanna do with your life."

And he later on he told me
that he cried afterwards.

[clamoring]

[rap music]

- Alright, alright, alright!

Grand prize!
Ladies and gentlemen, tonight..

- Nice. It's unreal!

[indistinct chatter]

- That's one of mine.

-And so, again, like I was
talking about the house

and ballroom scene, I came
into a community with people

and a structure
that is...family.

Um, the very structure
of a house takes on of a

takes on the structure
of a family

and, so, the, the leaders
of the house are called

the mother and the father
and the members..

So I've been in True Colors
for a year and a month.

At True Colors,
I am a program officer.

I am one of a staff of six
who do national work

to end LGBTQ
youth homelessness.

I didn't want to apply
at first
because the position required

well, preferred
a master's degree

and I don't even have
a bachelor's degree.

And I got the job.

- The White House.

Why'd it have to be,
why'd the White House
have to be white?

Why couldn't it be
a red house?

Why couldn't it be
the Black and White House?

-Like, we're a family
for documentaries and, like..

-Why couldn't it be
the Rainbow House?

-This way and then..

- No, this is going to be
the long way.

Well, what are you,
what are you tryin' to do?

-Well, well,
get into the White House..

We have, we have
an event to go to.

Um, the LGBT reception is today.

- Oh, yeah, okay,
it's that side

- Yeah you can go
to 15th street
and make a right.

- Uh-huh.

[indistinct chatter]

-So, the civil rights
of LGBT Americans.

Uh, this is an issue
whose time has come.

And, uh, we've got
a lot to celebrate

uh, because of your hard work
and -- and there are people here

who've been working
these issues for decades.

And of course, uh, we're now
waiting the Supreme Court's

ruling on whether same-sex
couples nationwide

have the equal right to marry.

[audience cheering]

-No, I'm not gonna stop them
because you should assume..

[indistinct chatter]

-Yeah, yeah.

- So you off
for the rest of the week?

-This is work, honey.
- Yeah, I know it is.

- We had this wonderful time
at the LGBT reception

at the White House
and I got a phone call from

I guess you could call them
my landlord in Harlem and..

The phone call was to say
that we were getting evicted.

And this was with no notice,
no reason why, no anything.

I had no home.

And it's very ironic that
I'm a national LGBT advocate

for youth homelessness
and I got evicted

the day I got
to the White House, right?

I managed to get
through that week

without anyone
but my best friend, Chi Chi

and my partner, Chiffon Noway.

And it's really important
to me that people

who see this film know that..

the support and the love
that we have for each other.

Um, it's what helps us get
through these things.

And that...we're strong
as fuck.

* I want to thank you
heavenly father *

* For shining your light on me

* You make me happy
so very happy *

But you like how I came up from
the bottom, right? It was like..

-You gotta sell it and then
you got to bring the arm up.

* Love to love you baby

* Ta dum dum dum

* Ah love to.. *

-Hey baby, what's up?

Can I get a ride
in your 18 wheeler?

I woke up, and, you know,
the first thing you do
is roll over

and grab your phone
and I found the article.

And it said Supreme Court
ruled today 5-4

in just I -- I basically,
marriage equality.

To remove the ban from all
states that have banned it.

-"Today is a big step
in our march toward equality.

"Gay and lesbian couples
now have the right to marry

just like anyone else.

Love wins."

-POTUS. Hash-tag.
-POTUS.

- Ten years ago people
weren't thinkin'
about marriage.

People weren't thinking about
certain things

because it was, it was so far
ahead in the future.

And now that it's here
it's like, you know

how does that shape the norm
of how we view our relationships

and the longevity of them,
you know, like,
how much we invest.

How much, you know, we take out
of it, how much we put into it.

Those things,
you know what I mean?

-Right.

We still got to fight for
our equality in the workplace

and non-discriminations
for that.

We still gotta fight
for LGBT youth homelessness.

We still gotta fight
for trans rights.

There's so much left.

- The marriage thing was,
it was, uh, it was like

a gay white male's initiative,
um, and..

If -- if gay, white men
didn't wanna get married

like, really badly, it probably
wouldn't have been legalized.

So...yeah, we need to refocus

and, like, put the same fight,
now that we got this passed.

The same lobbying
and the grassroots, um..

...fighting that went on.

We need to do that for, like,
now, like, the homeless youth

who are in the Village

who are sleeping on the pier
in 2015.

While people, like,
the, the upper-middle class

white gay men are in Chelsea

lovin' it up.

[indistinct chatter]

- Runway!

This is a runway show. Runway!

- Inadequate access
to health care

disproportionate rates
of homicide

mental health issues
that are not bein' addressed.

These are some
of the trans issues

overlooked by,
like, advocates.

- Watch out.
- Watch out.

- Keep watchin'.

Nine, eight, seven..

* Walk the runway
walk walk walk the runway *

* Pump the pump
but now walk the runway *

* Yo pop the runway
walk the walk in now *

* Walk the runway
now give it to me *

* Walk that walk the runway
can't you see *

-This is Jeffrey Claw.

Juicy. Juicy. Juicy.

- As like queer people,
right?

We try to live in systems

that are, like, oppressing us

so we try to live in, like,
the heteronormative systems

and they don't work
and they oppress us.

So why we just
don't create our own systems

that work and are successful

and that can uplift
our communities?

[rap music]

- It's like,
you know, the place

where I can come and escape.

You know, the, like, outside
the everyday world.

Like, the social injustices
of society

like, I can just escape
everything

and just, like, you know,
come here to my place

and really have me time.
Like, this is where I can be

like, emotional
when I want to,
this is where I can

have friends over
and this is where I can, like..

You know, it's -- it's like

it's -- it's even where, I don't
know how -- how to put that.

Like I feel,
like, I can actually

I feel, like,
actually I have a home

to put it simply, you know.

Um, I didn't feel like that

back when I lived with my
parents and with my mother.

Life kinda changed
really quickly for me.

Many trans women
are kinda, like, pushed in

towards, like, sex work.

So, um whilst being in college

I kinda started, like,
escorting here and there.

Um, in terms of sex work
I would say

is -- it's very hard.

I feel like
everyone is different

but, in a world that,
um, like

to put it simply,
unless you are passable
or have a certain look

you can't walk into a workplace.

Many places and get a job, um,
you know, people discriminate.

Um, and then there's also
the outrageous
cost of hormones

and it's difficult to steer
clear of sex work, you know.

Um, especially in a --
a -- a within a scene

that, it, like, the scene
that kinda makes it
so commonplace.

-Like, it's nothing almost.
-It's normalized.

-It's -- It's very normalized.
Um, it is difficult.

-It's -- It's
almost like, like, a social
just, it's like a social norm.

-Right.

-Where you can just do it

and that's just, that -- that's
just, it's fine because we --

-Right. But I mean
by saying --

-Everybody just understands,
like, "Okay, yeah, we just know

that that's what she's doin'
to make her money,
to get her work done

you know, to become the girl
that, you know,
she's desiring to be

and that she wants to become,
and it's like, okay."

But you know, there's also other
things that go along
with it, you know?

Things that..

-And then, you know,
it may seem, it may not seem

as difficult to, like,
give a hand job
to an anonymous John.

You know, for money that,
you know,
will be able to take care

of things and be comfortable
within yourself

as opposed to actually havin'
to go through the process

of getting a name change
so you can legally be on paper

a female of the United States
and go to a job interview

and be respected
as how you identify.

That's difficult, so, you know,
it's -- it's very, it's very

easy to get into sex work.
It really is easy.

Meeting clients that, you know,
are, are kinda obsessed with you

and what you are, um,
can be validating in a sense

because it makes you feel,
it makes you feel
like something.

- When I was at a younger age,
I was one of those people

where I had to turn
to escorting just to survive

and to get ahead in life.

My father and my family
put me out at 17

and I had to survive.
I had to do what I had to do.

Thankfully, I'm here
and I'm healthy

and I'm alive to speak about it

but not everyone
gets that chance.

I try to tell people
to deviate away from sex work

and a lot of people do it

just because, like,
"Okay I'mma go pull this date

so I can get a coin to pay for
my wig, or to pay for my affect

or to pay for my bead."
And it's just, like

people do it
so they can look fab

at a ball for a social fame

but it's just, like,
the ramifications

that you're setting your body up
for, you're setting yourself up.

It doesn't add up,
it doesn't measure up.

People see the dollar amount
and they see the fast life

and the fast money
and it attracts them

especially when it comes
to male workers

'cause they say, "Okay well, uh
butch queen could get $150

an hour just to, you know,
chill with somebody

or pull a date or whatever

whereas a fem queen
could get $500

so now the butch queen gets up
in drags, puts on a wig

and now starts pulling dates
as a fem queen.

Six months down the line,
you're transitionin'

just because you want the money.

Like, that's the struggle.

- I just want to say that

if someone decides to transition
because of sex work

their transition
should still be respected.

Because, uh,
they are still trans

and I think that, often times
in ballroom, we don't respect

those transitions, um, because
we don't deem them worthy.

But, we have to look
at, um, the lifestyle you talk..

We already addressed a lot of
the issues that, um, we have

to go through as marginalized
people, who have been through

so much, um, and we have to look
at our value systems, right?

Um, I think that for me,
I have no problem

with sex work, personally.

There's no, if you're gonna sex
work to get your affect, do it.

Just do it safer.

- Can I ask you a question?
- Yeah, yeah, yeah

- Do you feel
somewhat disrespected?

You, as a trans woman,
that you're doin' it

because that's who you are,
do you feel disrespected

by someone
that just transitioned

because it's affect was gonna
make them socially famous?

-Well, my, my transition
has nothin' to do
with someone else's.

So, the reason
why you transition

um, is your reason and you
have to live in that truth

and I'm gonna live in my truth

and we could be sisters
or brothers.

[laughs]

And I, and I -- I, I think
that that's somethin' that

we, as a society, need to learn,
like, if somethin' has nothin'

to do with you,
mind your business, like..

Like, I can't, I just know,
I just know, like

the harsh reality of livin'
as a trans woman of color, um..

So, if you decide
to live as a trans woman

of color, you have courage.

[rap music]

- Ladies and gentlemen.

Can I see one of the leaders

of the underground Kiki scene

This is Chi Chi,
mother and father..

The legendary, Twiggy.

Juicy go soft!

Come judge for me.

* Now I can have a baby

* Feel like a gun --
'cause I'm rich now *

* Now I can feel
they're Jamaican *

* Get pregnant just
a-like this now *

* Feel it for a $1000
bitch do you want this $1000 *

* Voguing for a $1000

* Feel it for a $1000

* Break down break down
break down break it down *

* Like this for a thousand..

- Right now, I'm like,
I'm 25 years old

like, it's not a game no more,
reality is hittin'.

I'm just trying to get another
job now, and just

make myself feel more
accomplished

outside of ballroom
than I feel

inside of ballroom right now.

People write me randomly,
and say

"Oh, you inspired me,"
and stuff like that.

That actually
makes me feel good

'cause I never pictured myself
to be that person

that people would write me
from Paris and, like

just random places saying,
"Oh, you inspire me."

- All this for me?
No, I'm joking.

[Chi Chi laughs]

My hair looks good?
I'm -- I'm all set? Okay, great.

-Smile.
-It's my first time.

-Oh, yeah?
-My first passport.

-Oh, that's great.

-One step closer to Ireland.

You know, now that Paris got it.

Now that, you know,
Italy and London

and all these, and Sweden,
and all these places.

Now, we take it to Ireland.

Our job is not done
until all the countries

have ballroom in it.

Until all LGBTQ people
have a place to go vogue

and slam their backs.

-When we get to Ireland,
it'll be Saturday morning.

-Mm-hm.

- So, for the first time ever

we are leaving
the United States

and going to Europe.

We will be teaching,
educating, performing

in Belfast, Northern Ireland
for Outburst

their queer arts festival.

Oh, these are cute.
-Aren't they cute?

-Where's this from?

- Um, I'm really nervous
about the class

'cause I'm teaching people
that don't know how to vogue.

So, it's the fact that
I don't know, like

how fast they're going
to really catch on to it.

But I'm just more,
like, fascinated

the fact that we can go there
and teach them the culture.

- It's now, it's just,
you just gotta believe

you have to just keep going
with it, you know what I mean?

You're at the front door.

You don't own the building.

This is not
your establishment.

You have to now
solidify yourself.

- When you think
about all of these people

and the institutions that say
your life is of no value..

...I'm hopeful that
people doing this work

can open people's eyes

to that fact that
they are of something.

They are of all value.

And that, when they realize that

I feel like there'll be a shift.

There'll be some type --
there's

there'll be some sort of change.

-Coming up, Gia!

[rap music]

Gia!

- Pretty women wonder
where my secret lies.

I'm not built to suit
a fashion model size.

But when I start to tell them,
they think I'm tellin' lies.

I say, it's the fire
in my eyes

and the flash of my teeth

the swing of my waist,
and the joy in my feet.

I'm a woman phenomenally,
phenomenal woman.

That's me.

Men themselves have wondered,
what they see in me.

But they can't touch
my inner mystery.

I say, it's the click of my
heels, the bend of my hair

the palm of my hand,
the need of my care.

'Cause I'm a woman,
phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman, that's me.

[indistinct chatter]

-Giving back to the community,
the rest of your life.

Giving back to the community.

Safe sex, best sex.
-Safe sex, the best sex.

No glove, no love.

-And if you are
gonna do it kinky

make sure you be safe about it.

-Better be safe than sorry.
All the time.

Condoms, anybody?
You want some condoms?

- Like 150 years ago

black people were not even
human beings.

Women, in general, didn't have
the rights that we have today.

So, when I look at,
like, the leaders

of those specific movements
back in their time

it gives me hope.

Sometimes doctrines change

and then belief systems change.

And when belief systems
change, then people get

the rights that they deserve.

[indistinct chatter]

[instrumental music]

* Kiki Kiki Kiki
Kiki Kiki Kiki *

* Kiki Kiki Kiki Kiki

* Kiki Kiki Kiki Kiki

* Kiki Kiki Kiki Kiki

* Kiki Kiki Kiki Kiki

* My girlfriend said
come meet me *

* I said come on let's Kiki

* My girlfriend said
come meet me *

* I said come on let's Kiki

* My girlfriend said
come meet me *

* I said come on let's Kiki

* My girlfriend said
come meet me *

* I said come on let's Kiki

* We can pump beats
and hit the streets *

* We're getting drags
and make 'em gag *

* Let's turn it up
at the function *

* We'll cause a lot
of destruction *

* We'll get our tens
and at the end *

* We just pretend
like we're not friends *

* My girlfriend said
come meet me *

* I said come on let's Kiki

* My girlfriend said
come meet me *

* I said come on let's Kiki

* My girlfriend said
come meet me *

* I said come on let's Kiki

* My girlfriend said
come meet me *

* I said come on let's Kiki

* My girlfriend said
come meet me *

* I said come on let's Kiki

* My girlfriend said
come meet me *

* I said come on let's Kiki

* My girlfriend said
come meet me *

* I said come on let's Kiki

* My girlfriend said
come meet me *

* I said come on let's Kiki

* My girlfriend said
come meet me *

* I said come on let's Kiki

* My girlfriend said
come meet me *

* I said come on let's Kiki

* We can pump beats
and hit the streets *

* We're gettin' drags
and make 'em gag *

* Let's turn it up
at the function *

* We'll cause a lot
of destruction *

* We'll get our tens
and at the end *

* We just pretend
like we're not friends *

* I said come on let's Kiki

* My girlfriend said
come meet me *

* I said come on let's Kiki

* My girlfriend said
come meet me *

* I said come on let's Kiki

* My girlfriend said
come meet me *

* I said come on let's Kiki

* We can pump beats
and hit the streets *

* We're getting drags
and make 'em gag *

* Let's turn it up
at the function *

* We'll cause a lot
of destruction *

* We'll get our tens
and at the end *

* We just pretend
like we're not friends **