Paris Is Burning

Jennie Livingston's Paris Is Burning was my first introduction to New York City's vibrant LGBTQ history. I watched it as a high school student, back when North Carolina shaped my entire world. The documentary is fun, beautiful, and achingly sad, all at the same time. I loved learning about ball culture in New York. Above all, I craved authentic representation. Even though the community documented in the film is very different from my own, it was empowering to see young queer people living their lives in such an expressive and proud way.

Last fall, I read "Is Paris Burning?" by bell hooks in Black Looks. bell hooks raises notable critiques about the film and the power dynamics of a white cisgender woman documenting a community of mostly black and Latinx queer and transgender people. While this piece helped me to think more critically about Jennie Livingston's work, the film still fundamentally shapes how I think about documenting LGBTQ experiences.