Drag Queens and Transgenders in Paris Is Burning

First of all the film, "Paris is Burning" was completely fantastic in my opinion. More specifically, I was struck by the different kinds of men were a part of this ball culture. The original members of these different Houses were the stereotypical drag queens, who dressed up in show girl, over the top outfits. Like the mother of the House of LaBeija discussed at the end of the film, he is not actually a woman. He dresses up as a woman to compete as a part of the fantasy that exists within the Ball culture, however he says that he would never get a sex change operation because then it would be permanent. This is in direct contrast to people in the movie such as Venus Xtravaganza and Octavia St. Laurent who will do anything to fully become a woman. They "pass" and live their lives fully as women. This distinction seems to be key to the dynamic of Ball culture. Venus and Octavia seem to be using the Ball culture as a stepping stone for their careers instead of that being their entire life. It is a full time performance and a whole new identity for them, whereas for people like Pepper LaBeija it is a performance that only lasts a few hours and just a part of their own identity.