Gay ballroom events

We have been creating safe spaces for the community for a very, very long time and we will keep doing so. This was the joy of shedding fear. A woman with a shaved head and sparkling make-up strutted confidently next to a man in a flowing black dress. And that fear is never far away as it feels like the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act criminalises who they are.

A thumping bassline could be heard through the door and crossing the threshold felt like stepping into an alternative reality. Queer Ballroom - formerly Gay Ballroom is using Eventbrite to organize 2 upcoming events. Androgyny and eccentricity reigned supreme.

In the dimly lit hall, strobe lights painted the skin of attendees in different colours. Changing the narrative of what queer people are seen as in Nigeria. Walking through the world with the gay gaze turned up, The Gay Gaze Bombay is a whole vibe. She hosted, organised and invited queer people to all the major parties.

There was some criticism that the organisers were allowing cisgendered and straight people to come into queer spaces but they insisted they wanted allies, families and friends to attend. The creative duo behind the ball - Ayo Lawson and Uyaiedu Ikpe-Etim — were inspired by a similar event they had been to.

By the early 20th. They also worked with a private security firm that was committed to inclusion. For many, the Fola Francis ball was an opportunity to pay their respects. Excited chatter and laughter coursed through the air. Around the gated venue were abandoned car parts and warehouses known for rave parties.

This fabulous community-building platform is a haven for the LGBTQIA++ community, bringing people together through unapologetically bold and joyful events. From splashy pool parties and drag-tastic balls to art-filled workshops and cozy queer circles, their events are anything but ordinary.

Check out Queer Ballroom - formerly Gay Ballroom's events, learn more, or contact this organizer. A trans, non-binary person wearing an African-print gown said that Fola helped them realise the importance of showing up authentically. Dancer at a ball in Berlin in The Ballroom scene (also known as the Ballroom community, Ballroom culture, or just Ballroom) is an African-American and Latino underground LGBTQ+ subculture.

ARTICLES (57) Mr Gay India (1) Videos (20) EVENTS () GB Art Meet (3) GB Cooking Meet (3) GB Legal Meets (2) GB Meets on Safer Sex (6). She was forced to relocate to Lagos after facing transphobic violence in northern Nigeria and Fola Francis had offered to help her find safe housing.

The audience chanted and clapped as people danced and walked on the stage. Fola Francis had a big impact on the entire queer community in the country. At the Fola Francis Ball, some of those who came competed against each other in several categories - butch queen realness, femme queen realness, body, face, voguing and best-dressed.

For the organisers, the purpose of a ball in Nigeria is clear: to be a space for self-expression and to celebrate the beauty of diversity, even in the face of fear. This was a queer event and in Nigeria, where same-sex relationships or public displays of affection are illegal, anything that is dedicated to embracing this culture is in danger.

Until she drowned close to a Lagos beach at the end of last year, she had been at the heart of the burgeoning underground ballroom scene. The scene traces its origins to the drag balls of the midth century United States, such as those hosted by William Dorsey Swann, a formerly enslaved Black man in Washington D.C..

People who, beyond the walls of the party, had to conform to a view of how a man should look felt empowered to wear wigs and bodycon dresses, and use their faces as a canvas for glitter and bold hues. The organisers of the Fola Francis Ball — named in honour of a transgender woman who died last year - only released the venue details with just hours to go before it opened.

Ballroom started in the early ‘70s because a lot of people of color specifically from communities and cities were kicked out of their homes, like me, for being gay,” said LaBoy, now To list your events and sell tickets online, write to shyam@ About GB Gay Bombay was founded in It is one of Mumbai’s longest-running gay support groups.

But for many trans and non-binary people, her death was personal, and honouring the life she lived was important. Some of the safety measures included providing changing rooms for those who wanted to dress as their most authentic selves but needed to avoid homophobic and transphobic violence on their way to the venue.

Social Media. The flashes caught figures in different poses - a kaleidoscope of movement.