And the Category Is... Inside New York’s Vogue, House, and Ballroom Community

A celebration of the Black and Latinx LGBTQ underground subculture, uncovering its abundant legacy and influence in popular culture and queer rights. What is Ballroom? Not a song, a documentary, a catchphrase, a TV show, or an individual pop star. It is an underground subculture founded over a century ago by LGBTQ African American and Latino men and women of Harlem. This unique intersectional culture transcends identity, acting as an unparalleled response to the systematic marginalization of minority populations. Written directly from within the community, Ricky Tucker reveals the complex cultural makeup and ongoing relevance of House and Ballroom, a space where trans lives are respected and applauded. With each chapter framed as a “category” (Vogue, Shade, Pride, et al), And the Category Is offers an impressionistic point of entry into this subculture, its deeply integrated history, and how it’s been appropriated for mainstream audiences. Each category features an exclusive interview with an LGBTQ/POC Ballroom member—Lee Soulja, Benjamin Ninja, Twiggy Pucci Garçon, and more—whose life, work, and activism drives home that very category. At the height of its public intrigue and awareness thanks to TV shows like FX’s Pose, Tucker’s compelling narratives help us understand its relevance in pop culture, dance, public policy with regards to the queer community, and so much more.