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Minimum investment required. Eligibility criteria and fees apply. Hey everybody and welcome to Outward Slate's podcast about queer politics, culture, and life.

I'm Brian Lauder and editor at Slate, and this week we're taking a little break from the news, which has obviously been really heavy and frightening for the last few weeks for so many communities, including our own.

And we're choosing to spend some time focusing on a major source of queer joy, expression, and connection for so many people.

The fabulous world of ballroom.

And just to be crystal of Asia clear about it, I'm talking about

legendary houses and vogueing and walking categories and pose, not like the Fox Trot. But no offense to

the Fox Trot. The occasion for our little struck down the runway is a landmark new book called Ballroom,

A History, A Movement, A Celebration by Michael Roberson. This thing has a look and feel of a high-end coffee table retrospective,

packed to the brim with glossy photos of iconic performers and competitions and fascinating

archival treasures, but it also contains a rich mix of historical insights and cultural

criticism from Roberson that absolutely expanded my understanding of ballroom culture,

beyond just the fierce performance and stunning looks

into the realms of political action and art collective and even theology.

But don't worry, that's not at the expense of Earth's shattering death drops.

...