A Documentary Analysis Of The Documentary Paris Is Burning

When working with individuals with physical disabilities the TTM model can vary according to how the individual’s culture recognized their disability (Boston, 2015). Gender roles can also affect the process of change (Boston, 2015). The helper needs to empathize with the disabled person to understand how they feel about their disability and the cultural belief system of the client, in an effort to assist the client (Boston, 2015). When a counselor is working with a transgendered person, the helper needs to adjust the model to include the client’s level of social acceptance (Carroll, 2002). The social situation with a transgendered client may not be one of tolerance, therefore the helper needs to be aware of this and balance between the clients needs and the social environment the client occupies (Carroll, 2002). Finally, when working with clients from various populations, the experience should be unique and the therapist should work to help the client feel accepted and understood, the various models can be modified or adjusted to better fit the

Over the past few years, the issues faced by people who identify as transgender (gender dysphoric) have gained momentum in the media. From Caitlyn Jenner to which bathroom to use, transgender people have made a lot of progress in addressing

Beginning in the mid-1980’s, a number of efforts were initiated to bring awareness and enlightenment to the actual tragedy of AIDS. Two films that evolved out of these awareness campaigns were the documentaries “Paris Is Burning” and “How to Survive a Plague” . Both films, although in significantly diverse ways, provide a window into the alternative lifestyles of LGBT people of the times and the problems and issues they faced. A comparison of these two documentaries demonstrates the initial fears of the public and affected people and the beginnings of acceptance or at least tolerance of these alternative lifestyles.

Let the Fire Burn is a documentary about a radical social movement called MOVE in Philadelphia in the 1970s, and their tumultuous interactions with the local police and city officials. Specifically, this documentary revolves around the buildup of tensions between the movement and the Philadelphia police, which culminated in the shootout and fire of 1985. Also, it tracks and provides eyewitness accounts from the Philadelphia Special Investigation Commission that was held five months after the fire, in addition to an interview with a young surviving member, Birdie Africa. MOVE was a predominantly Black organization founded by John Africa that promoted a basic, natural way of living; spread “the truth” and exposed the lies of the establishment;

Scholars have been critical of the medical establishment’s and state’s involvement in constructing and policing of transgender identity. These kinds of pressing issues have occupied the small existing literature. There is not much information and studying what is being done on transgender in traditional areas, family studies research, such as their dating behavior and formation of intimate relationships in adulthood. There is little research on the issues around being parents, their children’s experiences with having transgendered parents, as well as relationships in the family as a whole, and relationships in work and school.

We recently watched the film Paris is Burning, a documentary about black drag queens in Harlem and their culture surrounding balls. Directly related we also read two feminist critiques, Gender is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion by Judith Butler and Is Paris Burning by bell hooks. Two areas of critique I focus on and question are the critiques regarding the filmmaker, audience and drag queens and how they participate to reinforce a heterosexual racist patriarchy. Furthermore I ask if this line of investigation is the most beneficial way to view and understand the film and its various participants.

Paris is Burning is a film directed by Jennie Livingston, and Livingston attempts to introduce/popularize the drag & ball culture to the world. In her documentary, she explores underground drag queen bars where individuals go to escape the world and cross-dress down a runway, where they are facing no judgment and receive a round of applause for their courage/act/costume. In Bell Hooks’ commentary on this documentary, she dives into the idea that being transgender is “always constructed in the patriarchal mindset as a loss” (Hooks 146). I think that Bell Hooks is undermining the mindset of the “patriarchal” point of view. The year is currently 2017, and the rights that the LBGTQ community has earned/achieved in the last hundred years is an accomplishment that I feel people like Books neglect.

Topics concerning transgender can be very overwhelming for some. When one thinks of the term transgender, one may think of the process of an individual identifying as the opposite sex. The opposite sex of what he or she was born as. For some, this may involve undergoing surgical procedures or taken hormonal medications to fulfill their desire. However, when thinking of this process, one automatically thinks of transgender adults. This is rarely a topic that one would assume would be racing through the minds of young children, but in fact it is. More children today than ever, are either speaking out about their identity concerns, or displaying it in their lives. In fact, according to Date Line NBC, “The handful of American doctors who specialize

The 1990s documentary film, Paris is Burning, was significant because it was one of the first major productions that brought national visibility to the LGBTQ community and the subculture of black and Latina/os who participated in ballroom performances. This seemingly new phenomenon incorporated dissing or “throwing shade,” referred to as voguing, in New York City during the 1980s, and mainly consisted of poor, people of color. These performative shows attempted to challenge and imitate dominant, white heteronormativity by role playing socially powerful categories like business executives and students, that poor, gay people of color are often denied opportunistic access to. Intersections of class highlight the devastating and somber effects

Sara's confidence in my abilities as a social worker sparked self-belief. With supervision, I designed a presentation on diversity with an emphasis on transgender populations. At the weekly staff meeting, I facilitated a group discussion to avoid attacking John. The presentation was successful, mitigating many staff members' confusion with transgender populations, including John's. The presentation proved helpful for discussion and improved the staff's understanding of

There are a lot of people in the real world who are just ignorant about transgender people. We need someone to educate the world on this. An essay written by an 11-year-old transgender child named Sadie Croft has been circulating in social media, bringing its clear call for transgender equality to wider attention. The essay, titled "Sadie 's Dream for the World," envisions a time when the discrimination and stigma that transgender people face on a daily basis at every age will be over. Sadie writes, "It would be a better world if everyone knew that transgender people have the same hopes and dreams as everyone else. We like to make friends and want to go to school. Transgender people want to get good jobs and go to doctors like they are exactly the same. It really isn 't that hard to like transgender people because we are like everyone else" (Michelson, 2013). According to Huffington Post, Sadie began transitioning in kindergarten socially, and her moving words come on the heels of President Obama 's historic inauguration speech, in which he called for gay and lesbian people to be treated like anyone else under the law. It is so encouraging to see a transgender youth coming out at an earlier age and showing the world who she is. Her stories are piling up, and awareness is in the atmosphere. Sage has an awesome family, who supports her and gives an inspiration for other parents out there less ashamed of finding out their child is transgender. We still have a long way to go in

Paris is Burning is a film that takes place in New York city during the 80’s. It documents the underground balls, drag scenes and its contestants. Although the common race we see in the film in African American we also see other different races such as, White’s and Latino’s. Therefore, I will analyze this documentary from the perspective of African American rhetoric.

Gwen, is a Caucasian transgendered female between the ages of 31-40 years old. She initially came to counseling to quit smoking. After conquering this goal, and suffering from withdrawals, she still was not happy with herself. As her life took a whirl spin, she also lost her job. She experienced periods of depression from living as a male and often thought about transitioning to the opposite sex. She became a bit confused, and often put it off because she was confused about really made her happy in life. Gwen’s mother notice the unhappiness she was experiencing within herself and offered her support in assisting in transitioning to the opposite sex.

Many LGTBTQ people struggle with identity when they are young. Some tell their parents how they really feel and others choose to “stay in the closet”. Either way, the transition for most people is not easy. The panel leaders at the discussion expressed their different journeys of when they “came out” and how family and friends reacted. One of the panel leaders said that when she told her parents that she was gay, they immediately did not want to talk about it. Some other panel leaders said that their parents blew up about it at first and now they have become more accepting. Some of the common phrases that most friends and family members have told them were “it is just a phase”, “you have not been with the right man yet”, and “you are going to hell”. Most of the panel leaders said that when they “came out” it put a strain on their family relationships. The transgender woman said that she has not been to any Thanksgiving or Christmas gatherings because of the rejection she has felt from her family. She also does not really speak to her dad anymore. Another panel leader, who is a lesbian, said that her mom has met her girlfriend but is still not that accepting of her lifestyle. She said her mom’s biggest question is “Are you going to marry a woman?’. She also does not like to be around her extended family because they always “throw bible scriptures at her”. One thing I found interesting was that all the panelists had in common was that they all have had issues with their family acceptance of who they are, but they feel like they have found a home within the LGBTQ community here at Mississippi State. This is important because Mississippi State embraces diversity. Even though there is still more work to be done to increase diversity and inclusion, many people still can find an organization they can identify with and grow as a person in their own beliefs and

The most obvious challenges I have faced living as a transgender male have been physical, but the hardest I have faced have not only been personal, but emotional. I have encountered countless overly personal inquisitions, questioning looks, and awkward introductions. Existing as a biological female for a large portion of my life imbued that period of time with many challenges. As a child, I fought passionately with my parents to shop in the “boys” section of the store, to play hockey and lacrosse, and to never step foot in a dress. I often wondered why other children would point and snicker at my choice of clothing. I even asked my distraught mother why I was “put in the wrong body” at the age of three. I had to grow up and not only learn, but understand and accept that I am not the same as everyone else. I had to come to terms with the fact that most people do not face the challenge of waking up every day and overcoming the feeling that something is fundamentally “off” that cannot truly be “fixed”. “Average” is a description I often longed to be labeled in the past, but over the years I have discovered that striving to be above average is the true key to success.