The category is…activism.

Set in a gritty 1987 New York, Pose depicts the LGBTQ world of balls, the competitive pageantry scene that allowed a marginalized group to shine, be seen, and garner credibility within the community. The show’s characters are all a part of houses, a family system formed because often trans and gay teens were kicked out of their biological family unit and left to fend for themselves. Having been through this experience herself, when Blanca (Mj Rodriguez) later finds out she is HIV positive, she decides to pay it forward by forming her own house. The House of Evangelista is a refuge for lost souls. Drama ensues as Blana’s house members become a family, competing with other houses for ultimate recognition in the ballroom world.

Needless to say, the series gives a much-needed history to a community whose stories often get buried amidst the Reagan-era, Trump age-of-opulence, Wall Street woes. Apart from the 1991 documentary, Paris is Burning, this community has barely been chronicled. In this way, the show itself is a form of activism. As the general public pushed LGBTQ members to the fringe of society, and the medical community struggled with how to treat the AIDS epidemic, these gay, trans, Black, Latino protagonists are showcased in all their glory. In Pose, it is the wealthy, white, male, bankers and real estate developers who are relegated to the periphery.

Who Are the Characters?

Each character in Pose finds their own way to gracefully fight the system and give back to their community. They do this even though they have little to spare. (Slight spoilers ahead) Blanca offers her children shelter, protection, and support to uplift the community. Her fiercest competitor, Elektra (Dominique Jackson), considers undergoing gender-reassignment surgery even though it may mean losing everything she has. At one point, emcee extraordinaire, Pray Tell (Billy Porter), uses his limited resources to put together a cabaret show to cheer up patients in the AIDS ward. Season two will delve deeper into AIDS activism and dealing with the decimation of a community. Pose’s characters risk everything they have because they don’t have a choice, the other alternatives are homelessness, loneliness… death.

Pose is an exploration of what it means to be a woman. The show unapologetically births characters to us as they are. Characters who are glamorous, confident, females, friends, sisters, daughters, and mothers. Viewers never see the internal struggle around transforming into the women they are because they already embody womanhood in spades. (This show has taught me more about femininity than anything I have ever experienced). The struggles each character faces are all external: the world and how it receives them. Thus further defining womanhood: an elegant battle painstakingly fought in the shadows that no one knows was fought.

Who Are the Minds Behind Pose?

The show’s palpable authenticity comes from the creators (Steven Canals, Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk) collaborating with transgender writers/producers (Janet Mock, Our Lady J), directors, and actors. In fact, never in the history of television has the silver screen shown five transgendered, women of color, who are series regulars.  The commitment to accurate storytelling by using the artists best suited to tell those stories has resulted in a living, breathing statement of what it means to be trans.

To someone in the community, the show offers aspirational figures to look up to, who can help navigate tough situations. To people outside of the community, Pose gives an inside look into the hardships, pain, family, and love. Half-way through the series, you seem to forget the characters are transgendered and their experiences are normalized. It simply becomes a show about a family you want to be a part of, one of unconditional love and acceptance.

Why is This So Important Right Now?

The show rises at a time when trans rights are on the chopping block in this current administration. Trump Tower is even highlighted in Season 1. We are left to wonder, more than thirty years after this show takes place, how far have we really come? Perhaps the answers lie in digging for the stories untold. Perhaps the answer is in choosing to see the unseen and remembering that the loss of one person’s rights, is a loss for everyone’s rights. In the words of Indya Moore who plays Angel, “We need to stop treating respect like it’s a privilege. Respect is a responsibility.”

Pose season 1 is now streaming on Netflix. Season 2 debuts on 6/11 on FX.

If you are passionate about LGBTQ rights or any other progressive issues and you want to learn to be more active on those causes, check out YEA Camp this summer. For the past 10 years, we have been training people to make a bigger difference in the world. We also have a great time doing it. This summer, we have two sessions for teens and one session of YEA Camp for Adults, with folks coming from all over the country to attend. We hope you’ll join us there.

About the Author: Camilla Rubis is a TV Writer in Los Angeles and a volunteer for YEA Camp. She’s currently pursuing the spread of financial literacy to empower and support future generations.

About this Post: Netflix and Activate is a column profiling shows and films that activate us and awaken our inner activist.

The post Netflix and Activate: Pose appeared first on YEA Camp.

For those who know anything about YEA Camp, a summer camp for social change, it should be no surprise that when our campers’ votes were tallied at the end, our current president didn’t just lose the popular vote. It was unanimous. He received zero votes.

YEA Camp is for 12-17 year-olds who care about social justice issues like racism, poverty, gay rights, women’s equality, the environment, animal rights, and more. They expressed significant concerns about the prospect of a Trump presidency’s effect on all of these causes.

Fast forward to the day after Inauguration Day, and we were proud to see dozens of YEA Campers attend Women’s Marches across the country.

Take a look at just some of the YEA Campers who participated.

Former YEA Camper and now YEA staffer Shelby at the LA march.

Check out Shelby’s blog post”When They Go Low… We Get Involved!”, about her experience at the march!

YEA Campers Perry and Samantha met up at the Santa Cruz march.

YEA Camper Kailey (right) and friend at the Dallas march

YEA Camper Jake sporting his YEA Camp t-shirt at the St. Louis march.

Paula attending her first march, at the Women’s March in San Jose, CA.

Check out Paula’s blog post, “How My First March Restored My Faith in Gender Equality,” about her experience attending the march!

YEA Camper Grace attended the rainy march in Portland, Oregon.

YEA Camper Amanda with her signs for the Cleveland march. #intersectionalfeminism

Drake’s little brother Dax (future YEACamper!) with the sign he made for the Charlotte march!

YEA Camper Drake with environmental activist racecar driver Leilani Munter at the Charlotte march.

Former YEA Camp Assistant Director Laura (a science teacher) with her kids — future YEA Campers! — at the Portland march.

YEA Camper Elisha in the middle (you can’t read it, but we recognize that she’s wearing her YEA Camp “This is what an activist looks like” t-shirt!) on the way to the Seattle march.

Former YEA Camper Jacob (all grown up with a beard!) at the Women’s March in DC

This is just a sampling of some of the YEA Campers who attended Women’s Marches across the country (and took and shared selfies with us!), and this is just a drop in the activist ocean of young people getting activated for change!

If you know a 12-17-year-old who attended the march or cares deeply about some of the important social issues of our time, YEA Camp is the place for them to be this summer! Nominate a camper here, or just send them to our website to learn more!

Thanks to YEA Campers for inspiring our hope for the future!

The post YEA Campers Show Up In Force for Women’s March All Over the Country appeared first on YEA Camp.