Work Bitch

The labour of redefining kinship within Ballroom culture

Abstract

Ballroom culture (created by queer, transgender, black and latinx communities in America) has gained popularity throughout Europe in past decades. These photographs depict the community currently growing ballroom culture in Scotland. This queer community destabilises gender and kinship norms, before redefining gender and kinship as collective processes requiring labour. The formation of kinship bonds through labour ‘queers’ notions of family and enables the Scottish community to feel they are maintaining ballroom culture in an appropriate way. Their commitment to ‘authentically’ growing the ballroom scene provides insight into the use of ‘culture’ by marginalised people as a socio-political tool, suggesting its potency out with anthropological discourse.