The legacy of ballrooms between emotional ties and families of choice

Abstract

Legacy is a complex notion with its own connotations. The term refers to something that lingers over time and ends up having a consequence on those affected. In this sense, legacy can be traced back to the word ‘inheritance’, to be understood here as the transmission of relational assets. The discourse on symbolic kinship within the ballroom culture thus appears relevant. Ballroom culture has three features: a gender system, a kinship structure (houses) and ball events. Led by a queer mother/father who takes responsibility for raising their children, these houses serve as a means to promote active participation in a marginalised society where its members are discriminated. My contribution intends to investigate the ways in which the concept of ‘nuclear family’ is reconsidered within the ballroom culture, as well as the extent to which this process of re-signification concerns the transfer of identity assets to future queer generations in the form of legacy.