Summary
Dorian Corey explains the definition of "realness," which denotes being able to look convincingly like one's straight counterpart (man or woman). She emphasizes that it is important not to see the performances as satire but as a genuine embodiment of the heterosexual world.
Venus Xtravaganza, a young queen, competes in balls for the "femme queen" category. She says she wants a sex change because "there is nothing mannish" about her.
Pepper LaBeija explains that so many gay youths flock to her as a mother or father figure because they have been rejected by their families.
Dorian Corey notes that the meaning of "House" is family, or "gay street gang" who gain recognition through competing in balls.
Angie Xtravaganza, the House Mother of the House of Xtravaganza, says that she has been involved in balls since she was 14 years old. Other members of the House of Xtravaganza remark that Angie is better than any biological mother they could have had.
Willi Ninja, another House Mother, explains that "the mother is the hardest worker." Pepper Labeija says her House, the House of LaBeija, has the most members.
Regarding competitions among Houses, Dorian Corey says, "they call them competitions, but believe me...they're wars."
Analysis
As the documentary continues, the film takes viewers deeper into the social dynamics of ball culture. While some people might think that the balls simply feature drag queens – or biological men dressed as women – this section of the documentary actually explores the numerous categories available to ball performers, of which "femme queen" is only one. This category, Dorian Corey explains, is mostly for young queens, as their youthful appearance allows them to look more like women.
When the filmmakers interview these queens like Venus Xtravaganza, many of them do not consider themselves "drag queens" at all. On the contrary, Venus Xtravaganza is a trans woman who fantasizes about having gender reassignment surgery to fully embody her identity.
This portion of the film helps emphasize that the queer community is not simply composed of gay men, and balls are not simply composed of men dressing as women. Indeed, along with "femme queen" competitions, there are also categories like "butch queen" (dressing as masculine women), and "men's fashion," in which performers are expected to dress in traditionally high-class, masculine attire.
Furthermore, through the interviews with Dorian Corey, Pepper LaBeija, and Willi Ninja, the film presents to viewers the concept of "Houses." Put simply, Houses are chosen families for participants of ball culture, complete with a Mother (different from the House's Founder), siblings, children, etc. These various Houses then compete at balls for notoriety and fame, and the loyalty to one's House is just as powerful as many people would consider loyalty to one's biological family.
Indeed, the film encourages viewers to see these Houses as alternative family structures for those who have likely been denied by their own families. The House Mothers care for their "children" (usually younger queens) as a typical mother would – two queens note that they always receive birthday gifts from Angie Xtravaganza, and never from their own mothers. In this way, the documentary emphasizes the importance of community for these performers while also suggesting that many of them have been excluded from their own families for being queer.
