Paris Is Burning Case Study Essay Example for Free

genus Paris Is Burning Case Study Essay1.I would argue that the concourse of short(p) gay minorities, give c atomic number 18 the people in the b all in all, is a sub elaboration in itself. This meeting is a sub coating of the gay culture. The distinguishing aspects of the convention are that they are poor, gay, and minorities. A nonher distinguishing aspect is that members of this subculture are typically outcasts. They realize been rejected by family members, friends, and Ameri burn society as a whole. Its hard to imagine a much outcast group in American society than black and Hispanic homosexuals, (Levy). I identified this group of poor, gay, minority custody who get outicipate in balls as a microculture. This microcultures distinguishing aspects are that these workforce all turn backm to spirited for balls, with dreams of fame and fortune, The balls are our fantasies of being superstars, (Pepper Labeija). This group also has an extreme love for, and competitive dr ive to be undefeated at vogeuing. A nonher trait this group shares is a love for fashion. They recitation fashion and style in order to appear significant. This subculture wants to appear to be authentically blank, square, and female (Levy). This is visualised throughout the enter Paris is Burning.A nonher microculture that I identified in the film is the transvestite microculture. This microculture defines itself by get dressed up like the opposite sex, in this case men dressing as women, but who do not want to create women. They could be considered androgynous, (Solomon, 186). While they do not identify with females, they call to disembodied spirit female. The third microculture I identified in the film is the transvestite microculture. This groups ideal self (Solomon, 177) is female. They identify with females and wish to eventually become female.2.The goal of this subculture is to become a real female, if not to transform comp permitely, to at least(prenominal) look like a real female. They are motivated by the celebrities they see in magazines and on TV. Straight, white, females are this groups comparative influence, (Solomon, 409). in that respect are a few gay manly men in this film their goal would be to look authentically masculine and true(a). The whole fate of the balls is for members of this group to act out their fantasies. Nearly everyone in the film was pretending to be someone that they were not.Competing in the balls was achieving in fantasy what the world had denied in their reality, (Green). Acting out this fantasy allows the people in this film to compensate for dissatisfaction with their actual selves, (Solomon, 172). They desire to look like the beautiful celebrities in the magazines, (Venus Xtravaganza), so this group is doing some(prenominal) it can to make themselves more like these women. Sadly, usually the close to they can do is pretend, by dressing and acting like these women. This subculture does not wish to rep lace dominant culture, they long to be members of the society they imitate, (Levy). subroutine of achieving their goal is acquire clothing, make-up, shoe, even hormones and female body parts to look the part of a real woman. Without the possibility of consumption, it would not be possible for this group of people to achieve their goals and dreams. They wake up in the mornings as men, and leave their house in the afternoons as women because of the products they consume. They look at their reference group, (Solomon, 404) of straight females, and strive to look like them by purchasing the same products that these women use. To achieve their desired social indistinguishability they are acting out the symbolic self-completion theory, (Solomon, 176) by acquiring the clothes, hair, softer features, etc. that they see on women who are their ideals of beauty (Solomon, 196).In my opinion this is very similar to the actions of mainstream culture. The celluloid is a booming attempt by outsi ders to dramatize how success and status in the world often depend on props you can buy, or steal, close to anywhere assuming you provoke the style to know how to use them, (Ebert). I set about observed that the common belief in mainstream culture seems to be that a person has to look a certain way to be successful. The more fashionable and beautiful a person looks, the more successful and therefore desirable they are perceived to be.Mainstream culture consumers spend millions every year attempting to make themselves look more successful and beautiful than everyone else around them. This is similar to the pouf tycoon mole rat subculture portrayed in the movie in many ways. Both groups are interpreting to appear one way by purchasing clothing, plastic surgery, make-up, nice homes, etc. Both groups are desperate to be accepted by mainstream culture and both groups use style and purchasing place to try to achieve this dream they have of popularity and acceptance. There is a hu ge difference though. Main stream culture is constantly consuming goods and services in an attempt to fit in with all(prenominal) other.Drag magnate subcultures are consuming these same goods to try to fit in with main stream culture. They dream of the fame and fortune that comes with being a beautiful, straight, stylish woman. Livingston blames the advertisements they see in the media for fostering their unrealistic yearnings, (Levy). They are competing with a completely different group of people. Not simply is their competition different, it is nearly impossible to compete with.The models compete to see who could pass in worlds that are almost completely closed to gays and blacks especially, gay blacks, (Ebert). The balls are this groups opportunity to flaunt their consumptions, and practice for the real world. The winners are those who exhibit the most style, and often those who can afford to spend the most on their costumes, (Dorian Corey). Sadly, this group is competing wit h members of a society that will neer accept them, (Levy).3.Not surprisingly, this subculture faces many conflicts in their daily lives. These conflicts include relations primarily with prejudices, money shortages, and abandonment. Conflicts are handled in many different ways. Prejudice is a problem all over the world and will probably never cease to be a problem. It is not depicted much in the film how this group of people handles this problem except to ignore it for the most part since there is really nothing that can be done about it.I am white so I have the ability to write those grants and push my little body through whatsoever door I need to get it through. If drag queens wanted to make a film about themselves they would not be able, I wish that werent so, but thats the way society is structured, (Green). This subculture has very little, if any, power with anyone but themselves because of prejudices. This problem causes the other main conflicts they are faced with, money sh ortages and abandonment.Many of the people in this subculture have no other way to make money but to become hussies. They will use their physical tools to get what they want and need. Hes taking me out for dinner later this evening, or for cocktails after midnight. I know hell give me some money just for me to maybe buy some shoes and a nice dress, so that the next time he sees me, hell see me looking more and more beautiful, the way he wants to see me. But I dont have to go to bed with him, or anything like that. At times they do expect sexual favors, but that is between myself and them, so I dont want to talk about that any further, (Venus Xtravaganza).It is later discovered that Venus was found dead in a motel. She always did what she wanted to get what she wanted, such as getting into cars with men. Sadly, that is the life of a homosexual living in New York City, (Angie Xtravaganza). Money shortages give this group a risky shift, (Solomon, 267), distinguishing aspect of resorti ng to suicidal alternatives to make money, such as becoming prostitutes. This group also steals to get food as well as acquire props and clothing for their ball competitions. Faggots, or gay young men, are the trump at playing pranks or stealing, (Freddie Pendavis).Many of the drag queens featured in this film have been abandoned by their families because they are homosexuals. To resolve this, this subgroup has formed its own families, or houses, as they are pen to in the movie. Each house has a mother and a father. While these are not erratum houses, it is a small community that offers support to its members. Family members assist each other with ball competitions, stealing, and encouraging each other when times are tough.4.This subculture is very similar to mainstream culture. Both groups of people have a thirst to be accepted. Both groups put a huge emphasis on how stylish a person is. The big difference is that the drag queen subculture is daring to be different to be who they want to be and fit in with whom they want to fit in. They could easily live in New York as straight men. They could live everyday pretending to be someone they were not and living a life they were not happy with to avoid the hardships that come along with being drag queens.Beatings, violence and rejection are daily realities for men who want to pass as women, and so there is a certain courage exhibited by their choice, (Ebert). Mainstream culture, however, is not so brave. Many people who are considered mainstream most likely have interests and tastes that are not considered the norms, (Solomon, 429). around examples are a boy who enjoys dancing rather than football, or a female teacher who enjoys audience to metal rather than mainstream music. Both examples go against the stereotypes.While I personally believe many Americans, if they let their true selves show, would have personality traits that go against the stereotype that is associated with them, they will not let these traits show. They are not brave enough to go against mainstream culture and be the people they truly want to be. This drag queen subculture has dared to step out of the norm and try to become the people they really want to be. In most cases, this dream they have will be impossible to achieve.Mainstream culture influences this drag queen group completely. The drag queen subculture is striving to actually become part of the mainstream culture. Members of this group want to be like mainstream culture in every way. This is why they are pretending to be this mainstream group of people who will never accept them, (Ebert). Mainstream culture affects how this subculture looks, dresses and lives nearly every aspect of their lives is determined by what mainstream culture does. However, the drag queen subculture has very little impact on mainstream culture.The only part mainstream culture has plucked from the drag queen subculture is voguing. Popular celebrities like Madonna got voguing into m ainstream culture. Ironically, while mainstream culture was learning how to vogue it began to copy a subculture that was copy it, (Green). This is a very small influence that the drag queen subculture had on the mainstream culture, however, compared to the impact mainstream culture has on their lives.5.Mainstream culture is the trends, attitudes, living styles, etc. that are made popular by the media. I do not figure it is a collection of subcultures. I guess that the media can pick certain aspects from subcultures and make them become mainstream culture, but I truly believe it is the media that affects what we call mainstream culture. The media controls trends by having celebrities endorse certain products. I think that we look at celebrities, see their beauty and/or success and assume they must know what the surmount product is.We want to be lovely and successful like them, so we try to imitate them. This catches on because everyone in mainstream culture wants to be accepted, a nd since what is considered acceptable and desirable is what the celebrities are endorsing, which is what we all do and buy. We also have the need to be accepted by our mainstream peers. If our peers believe what the celebrities are endorsing is what is most desirable, we will come to think it is desirable, in order to be accepted and desired.