An Ode to “Mother”
Image via @Pinterest
“Let’s have a kiki, I wanna have a kiki.” And no, I am not just making a very outdated Glee reference… I’m talking about an actual kiki! This term first originated in the ballroom scene as a vibrant and theatrical LGBTQ+ social gathering, where queer youth and more were free to be themselves unapologetically.
These social extravaganzas (also known as balls!) evolved into not only a place of comfort but of shelter too, within the intricate ‘house’ system. These safe spaces help bring shelter to members that have been ostracized from their homes and society for sticking true to themselves.
Houses embody a comforting and non-judgment zone that allowed for the mainly POC queer community to be free in expressing themselves with different and evocative art forms within a world that is constricted by these tight boxes such as gender roles and sexual expression. These houses are structured with a ‘mother’ (the experienced leader and financier of the house), and the ‘children’ (the younger members and the children that the mother takes in).
But we have yet to unpack just how big of an impact the ballroom scene has on our generation and so many more to come!
Ball culture first arose in the 1920s NYC art scene, and referred mainly to white drag performers dressing up for fashion shows. Black drag performers were hardly ever able to contribute due to racism as well as rampant colorism.
But all of this changed in the 60s, when two black drag queens, Crystal LaBelija and Lottie LaBeija, opened up their own house called the House of LaBelija. Crystal LaBelija remains an icon as her words live true even today: “I have a right to show my color, darling. I am beautiful, and I KNOW I’m beautiful!”
These queens forefronted a new revival in the ballroom scene, as they were the first drag performers to ever host a ball led by a house, “The 1st Annual House of LaBeija Ball”, as a protest to the discriminatory ball culture.
A ball is more than just an artistic competition, it’s a world filled with exuberant walks, ornate fashions, and voguing that adheres to a specific category judged by a panel in order to win prizes and recognition. (here’s a clip from the 2019 Latex Ball with Honey LaBeija – now Honey Balenciaga – in the silver high boots, competing against Makayla Lanvin, who wears gold!)
Today, we see so many distinct influences from ballroom culture especially in terms of fashion, slang, and music. We first saw the drag scene rise up to mainstream culture with Rupaul’s Drag Race (an Emmy-award winning competition show highlighting passionate creatives in drag competing for the title of America’s Next Drag Superstar). Drag Race helped popularize slang terms like “slay”, Bianca Del Rio’s classic “Not Today Satan”, and plenty more from the contestants. More recently, FX’s Pose (a realistic show about NYC’s ballroom culture in the 1980s and 1990s), helped pave the way for a realistic and true representation of African American and Latinx queer history on modern TV.
So as we delve deeper and deeper into queer history (and as it hits Tiktok as a “new trendy word of the month”), it’s important to recognize and acknowledge the rich contribution of the Black and Latinx communities to queer culture!