While the initial establishment of Ballroom mimicked these drag queen pageants, the inclusion of gay men and trans women would transform the Ballroom scene into what it is today: a multitude of categories in which all LGBTQ+ people may participate.Īttendees 'walk' these categories for trophies and cash prizes. Though racially integrated for the participants, the judges of these circuits were mostly white people.
Beginning in the late 20th century, Black and Latino drag queens organized their own pageants in opposition to racism experienced in established drag queen pageant circuits. The Ballroom scene (also known as the Ballroom community, Ballroom culture, or just Ballroom) is an African-American and Latino underground LGBTQ+ subculture that originated in New York City.
Not to be confused with Ball (dance party).Ĭontestant in a ball at the National Museum of African Art, 2016
