§ u Paris Is Burning vlichael Warner lennie Livingston’s film Paris is Burn- Eng represents several years of both study and hard work, as well as fund raising. Gleaned from many hours of footage, the final film is a documentary, a testament to a slice of life which is foreign to most. aris is Burning tells story by fol- owing the action and interviewing the articipants at various New York City drag balls. [The participants are primarily poor, black, or Hispanic,_ and young. Li- ,i/ingston shows a poignant, joyous, de- ressing, even alien side of gay sub- ulture. Going far beyond dressing in ag, many of these young men actually ant to become the rich white women ey see on television series such as Dy- _nasty or walking down Fifth Avenue. Beautiful clothes, jewels, fur, money and lfemininity for them all symbolize happi- mess. The film has a lot to do with im- ages and icons which may be taken for granted by mainstream (male/white/ heterosexual) society. Besides simply documenting the balls, the film becomes a study of society, priv- ilege and class. The one category of “drag” which has men dressing up as Wall Street businessman demonstrates that for minority men, the business suit is as much drag as pink chiffon and lace. There are levels of drag as there are lev- els of society. Some dress to pretend or escape while others dress up to “be- come.” Some indeed almost succeed. The film is about the complexity of the ball circuit, the balls themselves, the “houses” (which are like gay street gangs), the participants, and their lan- guage and culture. But it’s also about each of us. The film made me think about the fact that many of us live our lives par- ticipating in one form of “drag” or an- other. Sure it may be one which makes us feel okay about ourselves or successful, but are we truly being ourselves, are we happy, more comfortable? Or are -we, too, playing a role, walking the runway? The roles we choose may be those which fit a more socially acceptable mold than the ones portrayed in the film, but who is to say or judge which is better. V February 1992 Forconfidenfial AIDS Information Call K1-800-882-AIDS) AIDS HOTLINES: Vermont 1-800-882-2437 New Hampshire 1-800-752-2437 New York State 1-800-541-2437 Massachusetts 1-617-522-4090 Maine 1-800-851-2437 National 1-800-342-2437 Canadian 1-613-563-2437 AIDS Community Awareness Project (ACAP) PO Box 608 St. Johnsbury VT 05819 (802)748-8116 AIDS Community Resource Network (ACORN) PO Box 2057 LebanonNH 03766 (603) 448-4400 Bennlngton Area AIDS Project PO Box 1066 Bennington VT 05201 (302) 442-4481 or 1-800-845-2437 Health Resource Organizations Brattleboro AIDS Project 4 High Street Suite 2-3 Brattleboro VT 05301 (802) 254-4444 (Helpline) (802)254-8263 (Office) Franklin-Grand Isle AIDS Task Force 8 Ferris Street St. Albans VT 05478 - (802)524-6554 H.E.A.L. Vermont (Holistic Education and AIDS Alternatives Liaison) PO Box 795 Montpelier VT 05602 - (802) 229-4325 Lesbian Cancer Support Group (802) 660-8386 Northeast Kingdom AIDS Coalition PO Box 40 Newport VT 05855 - (802)334-2437 North Star (Holistic Health Care) RR2 Box 3255 Mon-isville VT 05661 - (802) 888-2858 Vermont AIDS Council PO Box 275 Montpelier VT 05601 - (802)229-2557 Vermont C.A.R.E.S. (Committee for AIDS Resources, Education, and Services) PO Box 5248 30 Elrnwood Avenue Burlington VT 05401 (802) 863-2437 (Burlington) 1-800-649-2437 (Rutland and Washington County support groups) Vermont Department of Health 1-800-882-2437 (AIDS Hotline) or (802) 863-7245 (AIDS Program office) VT PWA Coalition PO Box 1055 Brattleboro, VT 05502 1-800-69-VTPWA or (802) 257-9277 Vermont Women’§HeaItli Center 336 North Avenue Burlington VT 05401 - (802) 863-1386 15