Photo of the week: The queen has spoken

Ballroom culture is a staple of LGBTQ life and it isn’t just in America.

In England last week, artists performed at The House of Suarez Presents Night at the Poseum Ball, part of Contact Theatre’s Queer Contact 2022, and the glittery event was packed.

Related: Reconstructing ballroom history reveals generations of change

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While this queen managed to bring down the house – and themself – the entire show was full of magical costumes and stunning performances worthy of royalty.

Ballroom is an underground LGBTQ subculture in which participants, who are largely Black and Latin trans people and gay men, compete for prizes, trophies, titles — think “legend” and “icon” — or cash at events known as balls. Judges evaluate those who “walk” in a ball in various categories, including voguing, pretty boy realness, butch queen, face, body, Wall Street, best dressed, pop fashion, and sex siren. Winners can take home earnings totaling hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

People in the ballroom scene are also part of house culture, meaning each participant is a member of a specific “house,” or ballroom unit, that has its own leadership and rules. Each house is governed by a house mother and/or father, as well as board members, a treasurer, and various other hierarchical couples that can include prince and princess or duke and duchess.

Normally this feature only includes one pic, but here’s another just for you.

AdBridg.cmd.push(function() { AdBridg.display("div-gpt-ad-inarticle2"); }); MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 18: Artists perform during The House of Suarez Presents Night at the Poseum Ball, part of Contact Theatre’s Queer Contact 2022 at Manchester Academy on February 18, 2022 in Manchester, England. Photo by Shirlaine Forrest/Getty Images AdBridg.cmd.push(function() { AdBridg.display("div-gpt-ad-outstreamplayer"); });