In the ballroom,
I don't have to be
ashamed.
I can be my best
self, happy
and wild and
laughing.
In the ballroom,
no hand of fire
can touch me.
I float on air as
I strut for the judges
and shine like a divinity.
In the ballroom,
there are others like
me. We have a loving
and vibrant community.
We come here to compete,
to cheer, to battle.
This is our space.
This is our sanctuary.
In the ballroom,
I have a home.
It doesn't matter if
my birth parents kicked
me out.
I've gained new ones,
ones that will fight for me
and with me.
In the ballroom,
I am free.
Free from the shackles
of society.
Free from the constant
raids against my identity.
Free to be me.
Free to live.
In the ballroom,
I am alive.