ArtSex & Gender

black & queer in europe: portrait series explores intersecting identities in amsterdam, berlin ballroom scenes

July 9, 2018
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In LGBTQ+ communities in cities like Amsterdam and Berlin, the Queer Black Diaspora thrives in an underground scene. A, perhaps, counter-intuitive idea for those familiar with the Netherlands’ history with LGBTQ+ rights, as it was the first country to legalize same-sex marriage and thrive economically from nightlife, bathhouses, hotels, and other queer tourism attractions. Named one of the most queer-friendly cities in the world, Amsterdam’s access to the LGBTQ+ communities is stilled largely limited to those with financial means and white skin. Working with cultural anthropologist Wigbertson Julian Isenia, photographer Dustin Thierry is archiving the feelings, gender expressions, and sexual identities of queer black people and ballroom culture in the Netherlands and neighboring countries. The project showcases the vitality and longevity of these economically and racially marginalized sub-communities.
Check out some of the pictures they took in Amsterdam and Berlin:

 

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