Icons & Trailblazers
Queer Culture
History & Milestones
Quotes, Language & Expression
Media
100
This writer of Giovanni’s Room explored race, identity, and sexuality, becoming one of the most influential voices of the 20th century
Who is James Baldwin?
100
Chicago is the Mecca for this genre of music and invented by black and primarily gay DJ's
What is House Music?
100
This framework emphasizes how multiple systems of experience and power interact in shaping people’s lives
What is Intersectionality?
100
This phrase, originating in Black queer communities, describes subtly criticizing someone with wit and nuance
What is throwing shade?
100
This reality competition series, hosted by RuPaul, helped bring drag culture and language from Black LGBTQ+ communities into mainstream entertainment
What is RuPaul’s Drag Race?
200
Blending music, fashion, and storytelling, this Grammy nominated artist and actress has used Afrofuturism and performance to challenge norms around identity, gender expression, and queerness in modern pop culture
Who is Janelle Monáe?
200
This cultural space, built around “houses” and competition, created chosen families and platforms for expression long before mainstream representation existed
What is ballroom culture?
(Ballroom legends pose for group photograph. Backrow: Angie Xtravaganza, Kim Pendavis, Pepper Labeija, Junior Labeija. Middle row: David Ultima Xtravaganza, Octavia St. Laurent, Dorian Corey, Willi Ninja. Front row: Freddie Pendavis)
200
This 1959 play by Lorraine Hansberry broke barriers as one of the first Broadway productions written by a Black woman, exploring race, identity, and family aspirations in America
A Raisin in the Sun?
200
In ballroom and drag culture, this term refers to boldly presenting a look or performance with confidence and intention
What is Serving / Serving face
200
This Broadway musical, set in New York City, explores love, friendship, and the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on a diverse group of young artists, including LGBTQ+ characters
What is Rent?
300
This poet and activist used her work to challenge oppression and center identity across race, gender, and sexuality
Who is Audre Lorde?
300
By challenging traditional ideas of gender, class, and identity, this themed ballroom category challenges competitors turn fashion into cultural expression and showcase it to the judges
What is Runway?
300
This neighborhood emerged as a center of Black cultural and artistic expression in the 1920s, also providing space for early queer voices and communities
What is Harlem?
300
“If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?” is a signature phrase from this drag icon and TV host
Who is RuPaul?
300
This FX series brought Black and Latinx LGBTQ+ ballroom culture into mainstream television
What is Pose?
400
Born in Maryland, this early Black activist is considered one of the first known drag performers in the United States, organizing private gatherings that challenged norms around gender and identity.
Who is William Dorsey Swann?
400
This dance style, rooted in the underground ballroom culture, emphasizes expressive poses inspired by fashion and performance
What is voguing?
400
A CDC study highlighted major disparities in awareness of HIV status across communities, emphasizing how this factor, particularly in underserved populations can accelerate the spread of the epidemic
What is Lack of access to healthcare and testing?
400
This ballroom-origin term refers to calling someone out in a sharp but often playful and humorous way
What is Reading?
400
This 1990 documentary captured New York City’s ballroom scene, highlighting the creativity, challenges, and chosen family structures within Black and Latinx LGBTQ+ communities
What is Paris is Burning (1990)?
500
Through modern dance and works like Revelations, this choreographer founded a company that brought Black cultural expression and storytelling to global stages, influencing generations of artists
Who is Alvin Ailey?
500
Originating in New Orleans in the late 1980s, this genre blends fast-paced beats and crowd interaction, with strong ties to Black LGBTQ+ artists and performance culture
What is bounce music?
500
Founded by activists like Marsha P. Johnson, this organization focused on supporting unhoused LGBTQ+ youth
What is STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries)
500
Serving as both mentor and protector, this role in ballroom culture reflects the creation of chosen families within Black LGBTQ+ communities
What is a Mother?
500
This coming-of-age film follows a young Black man navigating identity, masculinity, and sexuality across three stages of his life, and went on to win Best Picture
What is Moonlight (2016)?
