Examples of The " Question - How Many ____? Answer - Yes" Jokes From The Discussion Thread For Todrick Hall's Song "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part IV of a four part pancocojams series on Todrick Hall's "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels" song and video.

Part IV presents some examples of the "Question - How many ___? Answer - Yes" jokes from the discussion thread for the official music video for Todrick Hall's "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels". Some comments that are part of these exchanges are also included in this post.

In addition to documenting these question: "How many ___? Answer- Yes" jokes, this post documents an exchange about the origin of Gay (Drag) lingo and demonstrates some of the ways that people engage with each other in YouTube discussion threads.

**
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/todrick-hall-nails-hair-hips-heels.html for Part I of this series. Part I presents an excerpt of an interview with Todrick Hall and showcases the official YouTube video of "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels". Selected general comments from the discussion thread for this video are also included in this post along with a link to this song's lyrics and a link to another video published by Todrick Hall entitled "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels - Behind The Scenes".

WARNING: This song contains profanity and other language that may be considered inappropriate for children.
Unfortunately, there's no clean version of this song available (yet?).

**
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/online-definitions-of-article-excerpts.html for Part II of this series. Part II presents online definitions of, article excerpts, & comments about some of the gay lingo that is found in Todrick Hall's song "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels".

**
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/examples-of-comments-from-youtube.html for Part III of this series. Part III presents some examples of comments from the discussion thread for the official music video for Todrick Hall's song "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels" that refer to "wigs being snatched".

****
The content of this post is provided for cultural and entertainment purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Todrick Hall and all those who are associated with this video. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
This series is part of a larger ongoing pancocojams series that showcases the creativity of Gay cultures. Posts in that series can be assessed by clicking on the "Gay culture" tag that is given below.

****
POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS FOR THE QUESTION - "HOW MANY ____?" ANSWER -"YES" JOKES
One commenter (comment #42 below) wrote that "Yes" ("Yass") in these "How many __ questions means "all of them". I think "Yes" may also mean "a lot" or "as many/as much as I want".

It's possible that these Question - "How many ___?" Answer- "Yes" ("Yass") jokes are variations of the jokes that are discussed in the following excerpts:
From https://www.reddit.com/r/OutOfTheLoop/comments/2ib69s/why_do_people_answer_yes_to_questions_that_arent/

[Pancocojams Editor: I added numbers to these selected comments from that discussion thread for referencing purposes only.]

1. Posted byu/moomanjo, 2014
"Why do people answer "yes" to questions that aren't "yes or no" questions?
Answered!
I've seen it a lot on reddit but have no clue where it originated from. Or maybe it's just something people do to be annoying in general?

Here is a scenario which explains my question better:

Q: Was it a red hat or a blue hat?

A: Yes."

**
2. TeneCursum, 2014
"Hijacking this comment near the top.

This is what's known as "inclusive or" in computer science/logic.

So, when either one answer OR the other is correct, the output is True (or Yes in this case). Which is as opposed to "exclusive or" which is what people are commonly using in spoken language: One OR the other, but not both.

Here's a link to inclusive or for more info: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inclusive_or#undefined

**
3. Thachiefs4lyf, 2014
"Simple jokes"

**
REPLY
4. kurozael, 2014
"Yeah, people are looking into it too much. It's just funny."

**
REPLY
5. FishWash, 2014
"I think answering "yes" has the meaning of "either", not "both". It's like if someone asks "are you a boy or a girl?" answering yes is saying "yes, i am a boy or a girl" not "yes, i am a boy and a girl""

**
6. Bumblemeister, 2014
"More like an "any of the above", esp in lists with more than two"

**
7. Sir_Von_[profanity deleted], 2014
"Wow. People here are way off the mark.
It's sort of an anti-joke. The 'yes' isn't meant to be helpful, it's meant to be a useless answer in an attempt to create humour.

"Should I get the black hat or the brown hat?"
"Yes."
"Thanks for the help, [profanity deleted]."

**
REPLY
8. windsurfing, 2014
"Exactly. People are replying "yes" to these questions simply to be edgy. They're not replying to indicate that both options are true, because it doesn't even make sense in many cases, including OP's example."

**
9. helium_farts, 2014
"Also known as a mathematician's answer. Basically it refers to an answer that is correct (in this case the hat can be both red and blue) but also completely useless.

Definitely older than reddit and possibly older than the internet."

**
10. name deleted, 2014
"There's multiple reasons why people do it. Some just don't want to answer, some mean either/both, etc."

**
11. alonchi, 2014
"I believe it's from a "stoner stanley" meme. The caption would say something like "what time is it?"- "yes", or "are you drunk or stupid?" - "yes""
snip-
Click https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/10-guy for information about and examples of "Stoner Stanley"/

**
12. cockatoo777, 2014
"Meant to be funny. Possibly a reference to the one npc in pokemon emerald who asks a question and you can only reply with yes or no.
-snip-
Click https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Non-player_character for information about "npc" (non-player characters in Pokémon games).

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SELECTED EXAMPLES OF THESE INTERNET JOKES IN THE DISCUSSION THREAD FOR TODRICK HALL'S SONG "NAILS, HAIR, HIPS, HEELS"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ04gPb4LlY

(Numbers are added for referencing purposes only. All of these examples were published on May 23, 2019-June 4, 2019).

1. Liv x
" “How fabulous do you want this mv to be?” "
Todrick: yess"
-snip-
“mv”= music video

**
2. mychemicalpilotsatthefalloutdisco 123
" Director: how much sass do you want in this vid?
Todrick: YES"

**
REPLY
3. Pablo Montenegro
"mychemicalpilotsatthefalloutdisco 123 YAS*"
-snip-
Pablo Montenegro corrected this reply as "Yass" is the drag culture form of "yes".

**
4. Carlos Salas
"Director: How gay do you want the video?
Todrick: Yes."

**
5. Rafael Bernal
"Director: So, how much SASS you want in this video?

Todrick: YAAAS"

**
6. Moon Kirin
"DIRECTOR: What level of fabulous would you like?
TODRICK: YES"

**
REPLY
7. Desiree
"Todrick directed himself!!!"

**
REPLY
8. todrickhall
"Something like that 😉"

**
REPLY
9. Miss Hillman
"@todrickhall THIS IS ABSOLUTELY LEGENDARY IN EVERY SINGLE WAY POSSIBLE!!!! THOSE DANCERS YOU HIRED, THE SET, THE WARDROBE YOU'RE F&&KING* AMAZING!!!!!!!!"
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.

**
REPLY
10. todrickhall
"@Miss Hillman THANK YOU! Please share with everyone! ❤️"

**
11. João Reis
" "how many gay cliches are u gonna use?"
Todrick: Yes"

**
REPLY
12. Will Van Moss
"João Reis Todrick is embracing his femme side and that is perfectly fine. They are not clichés most these terms come from the gay black community that has influenced the LGBTQ+ community immensely. If you are more butch and don’t like it so be it, but don’t put other people down by calling it ‘clichés’ just it’s not who you are..."

**
REPLY
13. Ričards Jēgers
"@Will Van Moss Were they trying to put anyone down though?"

**
REPLY
14. João Reis
"@Will Van Moss i love how u think im butch just cause i dont do all of that. this may shock u but tongue popping and quoting rpdr every 5minutes is NOT a personality))"
-snip-
"rpdr"= the television series Ru Paul's Drag Race

**
REPLY
15. João Reis
"@Will Van Moss plus most of it (if not all) comes from the BALLROOM SCENE (black/latino). Just like DIPS...not deathdrops not shablams. Its called a DIP!
and as a Gay Black Choreographer its pretty offensive that he STILL doesn't use the correct term. But apparently stealing from the ballroom community is never an issue for basic white queens

**
REPLY
16. Amber Kelly
"Dude lighten up a bit! Life doesn't need to be so serious"

**
REPLY
17. black
"João Reis no one said it was a f&&king* personality. like they said this “cliche” is apart of todricks history f&&k* rpdr and f&&k* you for being so pessimistic about something that’s meant to be a fun gay club bop"
-snip-
*These words are fully spelled out in this comment.

"bop" = a record specifically made for social dancing

**
18. Coffee__ Kidd
"Producer: How fierce do you want the video to be?

Todrick: Yasssss"

**
19. Ziv Yahud
"How many gay slangs do you want in the video?

Todrick: YeS"

**
REPLY
20. TheAmazingFred
"🤣🤣🤣"

**
REPLY
21. George F
"Ziv Yahud please stop with these annoying ass comments. This is a trend that needs to die."

**
REPLY
22. Gabriela Vainilla
"Yaaaass gawd"

**
REPLY
23. Edward Chen
"@George F who hurt u?"

**
REPLY
24. Pinch of Sage
"Todrick actually said "Yasssss" XD"

**
REPLY
25. Sam Blob
"Aren't these drag slangs?"

**
REPLY
26. SR EVIL
"Todrick: nhyassss"

**
REPLY
27. Celestino Celestino
"@George F is it just me or you sound like a overly religious homophobe.. Just me?"

**
REPLY
28. the1stanimekaratepup
"I think black women came up with most of these, if not all of them."

**
REPLY
29. Yell ow
"He checked nearly every box"

**
REPLY
30. George F
"Celestino Celestino its just you."

**
REPLY
31. Celestino Celestino
"@George F oh ok"

**
REPLY
32. Brenda Jedi Master
"@Celestino Celestino yeahh, it's just you."

**
REPLY
33. Trinity T.
"All of them."

**
REPLY
34. Sara Ahmad Mustafa Al-Amourie
"@the1stanimekaratepup no black women stole them from black drag queens which are gay men"

**
35. Mr. Clean
"Producers: how many wigs do you want snatched?

Todrick: yes"

**
36. EXO AND BTS NEED A COLLAB TO DISINTEGRATE ALL WIGS
"Director: How many Queen's do you want
Todrick: yes"

**
REPLY
37. drosh413 david
"Does anyone have any originality anymore? Same old, tired comments to get likes. Pathetic AF.."

**
REPLY
38. Ima King
"@drosh413 david uhm hi.....yes over here... thank you, im just here to say i dont think todrick would like this negativity in the comments section of his song for pride month..... thank you have a nice day"

**
39. Widowfaker
"Producers: how much choreography will there be?
Todrick: yes"

**
40. hallo9062
"Producer: How many gay terms do you want in your song?
Todrick: Yes"

**
REPLY
41. Niatmy Trần
"hallo9062 Sorry can you explain this humour. Why yes?"

**
42. FusionBlastoise1
"Niatmy Trần

It’s not a yes or no question but responding “yes” is basically saying “all of them”.

A better execution would be:

“Would you like to use a whole bunch of gay slang, or just the gay aesthetic?”

“Yes”."

****
This concludes Part IV of this four part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Online Definitions Of, Article Excerpts, & Comments About Examples Of Gay Lingo In Todrick Hall's Song"Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a four part pancocojams series on Todrick Hall's "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels" song and video.

Part II presents definitions of and comments about some of the gay lingo that is found in Todrick Hall's song "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels".

**
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/todrick-hall-nails-hair-hips-heels.html for Part I of this series. Part I presents an excerpt of an interview with Todrick Hall and showcases the official YouTube video of "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels". Selected general comments from the discussion thread for this video are also included in this post along with a link to this song's lyrics and a link to another video published by Todrick Hall entitled "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels - Behind The Scenes".

WARNING: This song contains profanity and other language that may be considered inappropriate for children.
Unfortunately, there's no clean version of this song available (yet?).

**
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/examples-of-comments-from-youtube.html for Part III of this series. Part III presents a compilation of examples from the discussion thread for the official music video for Todrick Hall's song "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels" that refer to "wigs being snatched".

**
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/examples-of-internet-jokes-question-how.html for Part IV of this pancocojams series. Part IV presents some examples of the "Question - How many ___? Answer - Yes" jokes from the discussion thread for the official music video for Todrick Hall's "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels". Some comments that are part of these exchanges are also included in this post.

****
The content of this post is provided for cultural and etymological purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Todrick Hall and all those who are associated with this video. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
This series is part of a larger ongoing pancocojams series that showcases the creativity of Gay cultures. Posts in that series can be assessed by clicking on the "Gay culture" tag that is given below. This post is also related to an ongoing pancocojams series on African American Vernacular English [AAVE]. Those posts can be assessed by clicking on the African American Vernacular English tag given below.

****
DEFINITIONS OF & COMMENTS ABOUT GAY LINGO TERMS IN TODRICK HALL'S SONG "NAILS, HAIR, HIPS, HEELS"
Additions & corrections are very welcome.

Drop for me - a reference to the dip [read the entry for "shablam" below]

****
hunty
From https://www.popsugar.com/tech/photo-gallery/37912438/image/37912461/Hunty
"Hunty is a combination of "honey" and "c*nt*." It originated in the drag world and was popularized by RuPaul's Drag Race as a term of endearment to describe your friends. However, it's sometimes used in a demeaning way."
-snip-
This word was spelled that way in that article.

****
shablam
Excerpt retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vogue_(dance) -August 2014; Note that this paragraph is not longer included in the Wikipedia article for "vogue dance".
..."The dip is the fall, drop, or descent backward onto one's back with one's leg folded underneath. Mainstream dance forms popularized the dip, which is occasionally called the "death drop" when done in dramatics style. Due to popular media, the dip is sometimes incorrectly called the "5000", the "shablam", and the "shabam"; these misnomers stem from ballroom commentators chanting the word "shawam" when a voguer successfully completed a dip in time with the music while entertaining the audience.”...

**
From https://www.out.com/television/2019/4/05/dear-rupaul-stop-letting-people-say-death-drop-drag-race Dear RuPaul: Stop Letting People Say 'Death Drop' on 'Drag Race' BY MIKELLE STREET; APRIL 05 2019
"On Thursday night’s episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race, the remaining contestants competed in the Drag-lympics. With Travis Wall as their choreographer and Adam Rippon as the resident Olympian, queens were expected to put on performances (sometimes vogue-infused) making sure to hit specific focuses: fanography, voguing, and a shablam. And already, my friends, we have an issue.

Throughout the episode, the move of lowering oneself to the ground, one leg extended, is referred to as both a “shablam” and a “death drop” — in fact, it has been called a “death drop” throughout the history of Drag Race, and therefore largely throughout popular culture as a consequence. It has been justly referenced as a move originating from the ballroom scene as one of five integral elements of voguing. Except … it is not called a death drop. Or a shablam. And quite a few people pointed that out on social media.

[...]

Jiggly Caliente
@JigglyCaliente
The watered down vouging tho... it's called a Dip or Layout. Stop referring to it as a Shablam or death drop. Those terms should drop dead.
1:30 AM - Apr 5, 2019 · Queens, NY

[...]

Twiggy Pucci Garçon
✔
@SimplyTwiggy
This isn’t a question or a debate. #NoAppropriation. Period. It’s called a dip.

[...]

It’s a bit of deja vu (I myself have already written about the issue, explaining how the dip has been a move held throughout all variations of voguing, including Old Way, New Way and the popular Vogue Fem). Laganja Estranja, who arguably introduced the move to the Drag Race audience in her work room entrance, has also been unilaterally criticized of her use of “death drop” by the ballroom community. She has since abandoned the term, instead using dip.

Some believe that there is a difference in the terms: that a dip refers to a specific type of movement, and terms like death drop refer to others. This is incorrect. To be clear, a dip is a category of movement. Whether it’s hard and dramatic, or soft and slow, the movement is still a dip. Whether one does a scorpion or high kick before, it’s still a dip. Death drop is likely just a term made up by someone, not of the community, seeing the move and fabricating their own name. The move, my lovely friends, is a dip. Tell Ru I said it.

As for the term “shablam” which is mostly used by the dance community? Listen, I get it, things can be confusing. You watch your little ballroom clips and when people do a dip, you hear something that sounds like “shablam” either from the person on the mic or the crowd. First of all, that’s not the name of the move, it’s just an onomatopoeic cue that goes along with it. An emphasizing of the crash in the song. And second of all … it never was “shablam” anyway. It was “shawham,” as ballroom icon Jack Mizrahi, who originated the term and usage pointed out.”...

****
shade [throw shade for me]
From http://www.businessinsider.com/where-the-expression-throw-shade-comes-from-2015-3
"The term "throwing shade" comes from black and Latino gay communities.

The term's first significant step into straight culture was in the 1990 documentary about young, black, and Latino drag queens in New York City, "Paris is Burning."

The central characters explain their culture and guide you through the underground world of parties and drag balls.

In one scene, a queen named Dorian Corey explains what "shade" is.

"Shade is, I don't have to tell you you're ugly, because you know you're ugly," she says.

When someone insults you directly, that's called a "read." For example, if I were to tell you that your glasses are ugly. Point blank. That's a read. Reads can be long or short.

"Shade" comes from reading, as Corey explains.

If I were to say in a terribly condescending voice, "Oh honey, I'm so glad you saved up to buy those glasses," that's blatant shade. I didn't insult the glasses, or you, directly. It's implied by my voice and the context of what I said. You know they're ugly.

Sometimes people don't get that they're being "shaded" — this is always sad."

To "throw shade" simply means you've said something shady to someone...
-snip-
That article includes the clip of Dorian Corey giving those remarks from the "Paris Is Burning" film.

****
tea
From https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=spill%20the%20tea
"spill the tea
[top definition]
when one tells an especially juicy bit of gossip
"Girl, did you know Renee is having ANOTHER baby? And the babby daddy is the same guy who she found out has been cheating on her!"

"OMG, spill the tea on that drama!!!!"

#gossip#news#slander#scandal#rumor
by Jana617 May 12, 2008
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/03/what-reading-someone-throwing-shade-no.html for a 2014 pancocojams post entitled "What "Reading Someone", "Throwing Shade", & "No Tea No Shade" Mean"

****
tongue pop
From https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/d3kjex/hereditary-clicking-noises-sound-like-alyssa-edwards-tongue-pop This Hidden Meme Makes 'Hereditary' a Comedy, Jamie Lee Curtis Taete; Jun 19 2018,
Those ominous clicking noises get a lot less ominous when you make the 'RuPaul's Drag Race' connection.
"If you’re unfamiliar, Alyssa Edwards is a drag queen who appeared on two seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Her signature catchphrase (if a sound can be a catchphrase) is a tongue pop, as seen above.

Via Alyssa, the pop has crossed over into fairly mainstream queer usage. It has a variety of meanings, but is generally used to emphasize something, dismiss another person, or act as an exclamation point.

This type of tongue popping was in use before Alyssa, but there’s no denying the sound has become synonymous with her. If you google "tongue pop," she dominates the results"...
-snip-
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=17&v=0Zps8WvVQdE for a YouTube video of Alyssa Edwards doing her signature tongue pops.

****
trade [give trade]
From https://www.queerty.com/a-handy-glossary-of-gay-terms-for-the-well-meaning-hetty-20141208
Trade
..."Trade are straight men seen as conquests for gay guys to sleep with. They’re usually on the masculine side of the spectrum, and are much sought after by a certain breed of gay. Offshoots include rough trade and prison trade. Trade can also mean “DL” or “downlow” — an otherwise straight guy who actively seeks hook-ups with gay guys on the side."

**
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_(gay_slang)
..."The term often refers to a straight man who partners with a gay man for economic benefit, either through a direct cash payment or through other, more subtle means (gifts, tuition payments, etc.).[2] Trade originally referred to casual sex partners, regardless of sexuality as many gay and bisexual men were closeted, but evolved to imply the gay partner is comparatively wealthy and the partner who is trade is economically deprived.

[...]

More modern usage has centered on any casual sexual encounter between men, and as an adjective to refer to any male considered masculine and/or sexually appealing.[3]

Often, the terms trade and rough trade are treated as synonymous. Often the attraction for the gay male partner is finding a dangerous, even thuggish, partner who may turn violent. That is not to say that people necessarily desire to be physically hurt, but the danger of seeking a partner in a public park, restroom, or alleyway may be exciting.[citation needed] Another variation is in comparison to regular trade, rough trade is more likely to be working-class laborers with less education and more physical demands of their work, therefore with a body developed naturally rather than in a gym. They may have a less polished or cleancut style than an office worker or professional businessman.[citation needed]"...
-snip-
The words given in italic or bold are written that way in that article.

**
From https://genius.com/17313038
Lyrics: Todrick Hall - Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels" Notes
"trade
From nicwolff, June 3, 2019
"A thuggish, straight-acting gay man, aka “rough trade”.

****
This concludes Part II of this four part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Todrick Hall - "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels" (information, video, & selected comments)

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision: June 5, 2019 , 7:38 AM

This is Part I of a four part pancocojams series on Todrick Hall's "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels" song and video.

This post presents an excerpt of an interview with Todrick Hall and showcases the official YouTube video of "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels". Selected general comments from the discussion thread for this video are also included in this post along with a link to this song's lyrics and a link to another video published by Todrick Hall entitled "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels - Behind The Scenes".

WARNING: This song contains profanity and other language that may be considered inappropriate for children.
Unfortunately, there's no clean version of this song available (yet?).
This post presents definitions of & comments about some of the gay lingo that is found in Todrick Hall's song "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels".

**
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/online-definitions-of-article-excerpts.html for Part II of this series. Part II presents online definitions of, article excerpts, & comments about some of the gay lingo that is found in Todrick Hall's song "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels".

**
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/examples-of-comments-from-youtube.html for Part III of this series. Part III presents some examples of comments from the discussion thread for the official music video for Todrick Hall's song "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels" that refer to "wigs being snatched".

**
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/06/examples-of-internet-jokes-question-how.html for Part IV of this pancocojams series. Part IV presents some examples of the "Question - How many ___? Answer - Yes" jokes from the discussion thread for the official music video for Todrick Hall's "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels". Some comments that are part of these exchanges are also included in this post.

****
The content of this post is provided for socio-cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Todrick Hall and all those who are associated with this video. Thanks also to Chris Malone, author of the article excerpt given below, and thanks to others who all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
This series is part of a larger ongoing pancocojams series that showcases the creativity of Gay cultures. Posts in that series can be assessed by clicking on the "Gay culture" tag that is given below. This post is also related to an ongoing pancocojams series on African American Vernacular English [AAVE]. Those posts can be assessed by clicking on the African American Vernacular English tag given below.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels by Todrick



todrickhall, Published on May 23, 2019
-snip-
Statistics as of June 4, 2018 at 3:21 PM
Total # of views -324,967
Total # of likes - 204,000
Total # of dislikes - 3,700
Total # of comments - 12,619
-snip-
Click https://genius.com/Todrick-hall-nails-hair-hips-heels-lyrics for the lyrics to this song.

Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikq_CLlF4hU&t=1s for the YouTube video published by Todrick Hall entitled "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels - Behind The Scenes".

****
ARTICLE EXCERPT:
From https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/pride/8512924/todrick-hall-interview-pride-month-haus-party
Todrick Hall Talks Pride Month, His Inspirational Fans & His New EP 'Haus Party, Pt. 1'; 5/23/2019 by https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/pride/8512924/todrick-hall-interview-pride-month-haus-partyhttps://www.billboard.com/articles/news/pride/8512924/todrick-hall-interview-pride-month-haus-party
Todrick Hall Talks Pride Month, His Inspirational Fans & His New EP 'Haus Party, Pt. 1'
5/23/2019 by Chris Malone
“Todrick Hall is one of the hardest-working people in show business. The triple-threat artist often balances behemoth solo projects like his Straight Outta Oz and Forbidden visual albums with his duties as RuPaul’s Drag Race’s resident choreographer, and is now gearing up for a jam-packed Pride month.

Today, Hall is releasing Haus Party, Pt. 1, the first installment in a series of EPs he created specifically with the LGBTQ+ community in mind. Following the EP’s release, Hall will be headlining a dozen different Pride celebrations all around the country throughout the month of June, performing some of his favorite tracks from Haus Party, Pt. 1, along with some fan favorites, before embarking on a thirty-city tour later this fall.

To celebrate the release of this love letter to the LGBTQ+ community, Hall spoke with Billboard on why he wanted to create this project, why this Pride month specifically means so much to him, and what he hopes will inspire his fans who often inspire him.

[...]

Let's talk some more about the music on the EP. Besides “I Like Boys” What songs do you hope will resonate with fans?

Well, my favorite one is “Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels.” That was such a random song. I was walking to get breakfast one morning and I just started writing the song. Most of the time I have a very clear narrative of where I'm going with the song, but this song came to me and it was just out the blue. And normally when I get a really random idea like that, I'd just shake it off and laugh to myself about it, but with this one, it was like really, really hauntingly catchy and I just kept singing it over and over and over again. It was difficult to say at first, but then I started being like, “I think people would actually like this song because I don't have a beat or anything in my head and the song is still catchy.”

When I first started going through the club before I was even old enough, any time “Get Me Bodied” by Beyoncé would come on, the floor would be completely flooded with people. It was like Simba being in the stampede with the wildebeests; you could not get to the dance floor fast enough to do your version of the dance, specifically when it got to the end of the song. Gay people love that song -- and it wasn't even made specifically for us and our community, but so many of the things we popularized were there. “Snap for the kids” and “Pat your weave” and “Do your Naomi Campbell walk” were some of the things that drag queens and people who were part of the queer community had clearly taught to Beyoncé and that she had seen.

I don't remember a song coming out since then that I've been that excited to see when it came on at the club, and I was like, “I want [‘Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels’] to be that song.” When it gets to the second half of the song, I want everybody to run to the dance floor and know all of the moves to do. So that's the song I'm the most excited about, because if it does what I hope it does, it will become like an LGBTQ+ phenomenon. That's what I'm hoping for."...

****
SELECTED GENERAL COMMENTS* FROM THE DISCUSSION THREAD FOR THE OFFICIAL YOUTUBE VIDEO OF TODRICK HALL'S "HAIR,HAIR, HIPS, HEELS" (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
Note: I didn't read all of the comments in this discussion thread, but I read a lot of those comments. I selected these comments for their informational, socio-cultural, and/or witty/entertainment value/s.

All of these comments are from May 23, 2019 to June 4, 2019, and are given in relative chronological order excerpt for replies.

*These comments don't include examples from the two sub-categories of comments that are showcased in Part II and Part III of this pancocojams series.
1. Britney Lee
"If you don't understand this language then we can't be friends"

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REPLY
2. Maria Wool
"Okey I am russian

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3. Guilherme Albuquerque
"Aff, i'm brazilian"

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4. Not a prodigy!
"I'm Brazillian and I understood almost everything..."

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5. Greder23
"That's...not what she means, guys. Not understanding english, understanding the fierce sassiness of the rhythm, lyrics and dancing."

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REPLY
6. Sean J
"guys she mean the gay lingo lool guuurl!!"

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REPLY
7. Greder23
"@Britney Lee no problem, darling, it was a light read. 💅🏿"

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REPLY
8. Theory Guy
"Not every gay guy speaks like that.
Its really a stereotype that hes feeding right into. Tbh"

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9. Sean J
"@Theory Guy n we love it thats why we here!"

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10. jordan pastry
"Shablam"

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11. Arthur Adams
" "shablam" is the new "hi""

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12. Enrique Castillo
"Gay culture is having this inner strength that no one gets, only you do"

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13. Toby Toast
"Yas queen"

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14. Theory Guy
"@Jaken Lich12 oh i got the joke, its just i didnt think it was a funny joke."

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15. Consuela Lemon
"@Sean J It isn't "gay" lingo. It's specifically black and latino lgbt lingo from the ballroom scene."

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16. Sean J
"@Consuela Lemon if u wanna be specific .. sure. Gay lingo is and has always been borne out of urban settings...free for all to use."

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17. LOL LOL
"All you people talking about how your russian and brazillian she means if you dint understand the slang and sass😂"

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18. foiv1
" "I don't play, I slay"

my new favorite catchphrase"

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19. Diana Martinez
"The first time I heard it: I like it!
The second time I heard it: I LOVE it!
The third time: THIS IS AN ANTHEM!!!!"

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20. Lauren Cook
"I love the evolution of todrick. From singing in Burger King to this. Sis, work."

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21. Natural4CHairPassion
"Vogue has been redefined. Thank you Todrick Hall for reclaiming it."
-snip-
"Vogue" here refers to the dance form known as "voguing". Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/08/voguing-death-drops-death-drops-in.html for a 2014 pancocojams post entitled "Voguing Death Drops & Death Drops In Other Performing Arts (information, speculation & examples)"

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REPLY
22. Lovechild84 Booming
"Redefined what are you even talking about how can you redefine something that is already thriving and flourishing"

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23. Natural4CHairPassion
"@Lovechild84 Booming this has the feel of the oldschool underground voguing in the 60's-80's. The scene had changed, and this brings it back, with a modern twist.

Art styles get redefined on a regular. I love the imeragery this envokes!"

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24. Lovechild84 Booming
"Natural4CHairPassion i think your wording just made it sound as if vogue was irrelevant but the present scene is thriving it’s changed to fit this generation"

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25. Natural4CHairPassion
"@Lovechild84 Booming the original vogue evolved into what is now. Vogue now is a wonderful amalgamation of cultures, history, dance styles, and the struggle of LGBTQ2+.
This song brings back the undergroundness of the original Vogue. The fact that most of the dancers are African American feels like an homage to the originals of Vogue, their struggle, and the fact that men were not supposed to love men.
To me, it elicits nostalgia."

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REPLY
26. dimas rafael rodriguez
"This power ranger reunion was so sassy, i loved it"

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27. jodem7
"dimas rafael rodriguez 🤣🤣🤣🤣💀💀"

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REPLY
28. 천사 NOIR
"I DIED"

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29. Yoyo Fred
"😂🤣🤣"

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30. Rubie Ketsal
"The intro drew me in, but the on-point choreography and the song had me beyond hooked!"

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31. vlog on a buget
"This would be a great zumba class i would 100 percent go to"

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32. Kent Mattern
"I would love that!"

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33. RanchoFundo
"Have some respect for the gay art"

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34. Wilbur J
"My husband is a Zumba Instructor and by the guidelines they technically aren't supposed to use music with curse words in it. Many do tho... He wanted to get Dem Beats but its got cuss words..."

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35. HomeztuckTrazh 413
"Gay Zumba"

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36. Natasha Garcia
"Oh my god right?!"

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37. Guillermo Carvajal
"What kind of Black Panther suits are those? LOVED IT!"

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38. ellie
"Remember Head, shoulders, knees, and toes? This is her now.

Feel old yet?"

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39. Remy Cheonsa
"I'm laughing so hard omg 🤣"

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REPLY
40. Hiuska
"I AM HOWLING"

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41. Chris German
1 week ago
ellie wow! Only a few hours later and your comment is over 1k likes and trending lol

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42. ellie
"@Chris German hahahaha, me too! I just went to bed, woke up, and it's already a thousand likes. I'm honestly overwhelmed. Hahahaha"
-snip-
As of 4:26 PM on June 4, 2019 that comment by Ellie has 8.9K likes and 1 dislike.

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REPLY
43. Reece Williams
"I'm just imaging little kids doing this now in class 😂"

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REPLY
44. Lil Kay
"You win the comments section"

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REPLY
45. jordan pastry
"GARL!.... dam that's funny"

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46. Dean Merritt
"Baby graduated 😂"

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REPLY
47. *•Gacha Lune•*
"SHE TURNED INTO A BADDIE!!"

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48. rachel kiarie
"Yaass , Imma do head, shoulder , knees and toes like this from now on."

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49. Joelle Priscilla Estrera
"This is probably the gayest workout music there is. I love it."

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REPLY
50. Muzingaye Thaka
"😂😂😂😂😂idk why i died to this"

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51. Cheyenne Ellzey
"Joelle Priscilla Estrera hey we are gonna get fit the fabulous way."

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52. Lesley K
"As soon as I heard this -- this workout gunna kill me."

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53. Yue Zhan
"yeaaa gonna be my workout music too and I’m not even gay😂😂"

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54. Jaemin Jung
"This song is such a bop I literally lost it. LMAO "You're doing great sweetie!!" 😂😂😍"

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55. DarkStar 2225
"You did THAT PERIOD!!!!!!!!"

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56. Boo Johnstun
"A drag queen Cha-Cha Slide. And we are living for it"

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57. Sugarsh0ck 13
"Loving the look of this new Power rangers movie.


Love Todrick!"

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58. Faith
"The fact that he sticked on fake nails to those gloves just makes this whole Video perfect😂♥️"

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59. Ashley Taylor
"Omg this choreography is sickening!!! 😍"

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60. Jared Lum
"I, for real, just love the YASness and aesthetics of this video. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥"

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61. Julie Morales
"The impact that this has, the slayage this has, the production level this has, the importance that this has, PERIODT! 🔥🔥🔥 Where can I sign up?!"

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62. Just Pose Queen 😍😍😍
"Ballroom Fever is in da House

Greetings from Cologne Guuuuuuuuuurl 😘"

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63. Setiawan Jodi
"This is super gay.






and i live for that .


slayyyyy mama..."

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64. DarkStar 2225
"You did THAT PERIOD!!!!!!!!
No if’s, and’s or but’s PERIOD!!!!"

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65. Susie W.
"Welcome to the 2019 version of the 'Head, shoulders, knees and toes' song. Enjoy."

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66. RobertLoveLiveLife
"In time for Pride Month. Nice to see him use so many QPoC seeing how this is our culture. Werk Todrick!"

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67. Jenny Boom
"Yesssssss!!! This video is poppin!! WERK Todrick!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️"

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68. Keifer Bellajaro
"This is what Black Panther would look like if he was part of the LGBTQ+ community"

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REPLY
69. Crystal Bruno
"Keifer Bellajaro OMG, I was thinking the same! 😎😎"

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REPLY
70. Trimaine Elliott
"😂😂😂😂😂😂"

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REPLY
71. Sharon Mahana
"I cant unsee it"

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REPLY
72. Deyoncé W
"Lol Rainbow Kat 😂😂😂"

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REPLY
73. Mario Fuertes Muñiz
"This is the true Black Panther!"

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REPLY
74. ii_Graysxn
"😂😂❤️❤️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈"

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REPLY
75. ERIN PYPER
"Keifer Bellajaro, FACTS! 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥"

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76. Zzz Zz
"Rainbow panther!!"

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77. Asakei Alel
"pink panther"

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REPLY
78. Photobomb
"* steps out of the portal with his entire nation *"

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79. Anna Roy
"😂😂😂😂"

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REPLY
80. Jae L.
"I'm weakened by this comment lmfaooooooo"

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81. Julio Rojas
"Keifer Bellajaro I live for these comments 🤣🤣🤣"

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82. Liz like friz
"Truuuuue! See him running into battle in stilletos lmao"

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REPLY
83. Nina Eripete
"Yassssss🤣🤣"

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REPLY
84. Gregory Ray Dorff
"T'Challa chants: "Yibambe"
Wakanda warriors: "Yaaaaaaaaassss" ...Fan Sound
T'Challa chants: "Yibambe"
Wakanda warriors: "Yaaaaaaaassssss"....Fan Sound"

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REPLY
85. EnniK Dance
"Who's to say that Black Panther ISN'T part of LGBTQ+?"

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REPLY
86. Amiera Rice
"U RIGHT 😂😂"

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REPLY
87. C. Kelly
"Period 💁🏾‍♂️"

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REPLY
88. Jared Lum
"The pride parade in Wakanda is gonna be lit! 🔥🔥🔥"

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REPLY
89. Lady Red
"@PhotoBomb 😄"

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90. Zia Sia
"This Song n Vid actually made me feel emotionally strong n confident bout myslf.. This oozes positivity n m feel proud to be Me.. Love it!!!!"

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91. JodiiAmber
"This video is beyond anything I've ever seen. It's giving me life! 👏"

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92. Ms TeaKnee
"My jaw is on the floor!!! YOU ARE A STAR BABE!!"

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93. Tyi Blackmon
"Watch this every time I need some positive energy"

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94. Shaunie James
"Yyyyaaassss Queen you did that... My summer banger 2019... I don’t play I slay 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥"

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95. Amya Enlow
"I STAN QUEEN TODRICK YASSS QUEEN 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🥰😍😍‼️🥵"

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96. tashabear16
"This gave me all types of life yaaaaaaaassssssss!!! 💃💃💃🎶🎶"

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97. S Monique
"You’ve got me!! Updating my curriculum: goodbye head and shoulders, knees and toes! Hello Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels!! Best deliciously gay video ever!! I love it💥"

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98. Rose Salvatori
"Always amazed by the choreography Todric. I stan."

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99. Jackie H
"Youtube Recommendations came THROUGH! 👏🏾🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥"

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100. Rieko Crowe
"My favorite was blink for these how's
OMG I LOVE IT!!!! This Sooo going on my music list."

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101. Dee Jay
"This is both the gayest and greatest thing I’ve ever seen in my life"

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REPLY
102. V. Scott
"Dee Jay if this is the gayest thing you've ever seen, let me tell you you are living a sheltered life."

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103. Alejandro Blanco
"hanny, pls move to LA and go to hamburger mary'and 33 on a saturday night and you will LIVE"

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REPLY
104. Eric Hufford
"Seriously? Guys dancing in heels is like day 4 of week 1 of gay 101 and this is actually kinda basic"

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105. Cyan N
"I love how when he says "sashay" they do a chase. I love word play. (im just being a nerd ignore me)"

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106. Forsaken
"Sisters' anthem. This is as iconic as YMCA. I pray this song makes history in the same way."

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107. monica gloom
"This is the gay cha cha slide I didn't know I NEEDED"

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108. Chiara Weiss
"I don't know why, but I can't stop watchin this! It's just so awsome xD"

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REPLY
109. Selma Doll
"very this."

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110. Juan McCrory
"Come thru Todrick! I loved every second of this. ❤️"

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111. Carnaisha Baby
"Best version of Simon Says ever"

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112. King Tunchi
"I'm so proud of him he made our community proud thanks"

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113. K Qualls
"This is like the gay cha cha slide...I love this man 🤦🏾‍♂️"

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114. Aidan De Bruno Austin
"K Qualls the cha cha slide is already gay girl 😂😌"

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115. K Qualls
"@Aidan De Bruno Austin u know what...your rite🤣"

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116. Kelly B Creation
"Omg yass this gave me life hunty!"

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117. Jack
"I love it, I love them, I can't stop playing it. This is everything"

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118. Lady Dusk
"Happy pride month!! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜"


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119. Not Carlie
"Y'all failed he didn't say Simon Says."

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120. Shemaine Fox -Pickens
"Omggggggggg!!!!! Yaaasssssssss Toddy!!!! Give the world LIFE HUNTY!!!!!! I love you to the GAWDS and BACK!! Please come back to Charlotte!!!"

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121. kanamekuran23
"I love the DIVERSITY"

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122. Kiki Qbaum
"This is the definition of Fabulous"

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123. Kyle Hearman
"This song is literally a gay dictionary lmao"

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124. Adora
"this is gonna be the drag linedance and i love it"

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125. Emy Pierre-Louis - Taeddie
"I don't dance, I WORK.
I don't play, I SLAY.
Words to live by."

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126. Rebecca Archibold
"How is this video so simple, complex, chaotic and organized at the same time?? Pure art, we stan"

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127. Michael De La Cruz
"MISS THING, this is my new anthem, my new walking tempo, my new EVERYTHING until your next work"

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128. Oh God
"So this what blackpanter did after End game. Oh yes we stan!"

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129. John Laurens
"Oh God 😂😂😂"

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130. Jordan Rayner
"This needs to be a lipsync for Drag Race"
-snip-
"Drag Race" refers to the television series RuPaul's Dray Race.

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REPLY
131. Julie Morales
"The impact that this has, the slayage this has, the production level this has, the importance that this has, PERIODT! 🔥🔥🔥 Where can I sign up?!"

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132. Wig
"Iconic"

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133. Elizabeth Sinclair
"I agree would be great for a lip sync"

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134. Ralph Richter
"Im sure they' re gonna use it!"

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135. Cameron Shaw
"It will be."

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136. Brace Face Lace
"This would be a tough song to lip sync but yass they need to do this song"

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137. nanami akemi
"Black Panther: My costume is classy enough, nothing could be better
Todrick: Hold my heels"

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138. Teru _
""I'm livin for the nails over the gloves 😂"

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139. Jalen
"They gay Power Rangers preping for battle lol I can dig it! Been a while since I've watch a TH Vid."

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140. Carrie Like the Movie
"I absolutely love this! I suddenly found myself whipping out my fan and shablamming! And I felt absolutely fabulous doing it!"

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141. Klára Skořepová
"How do I suddenly feel so fabulous after watching this?"

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REPLY
142. Monica Stewart
"I know right?!

****
This concludes Part I of this three part pancocojams series on Todrick Hall's song & video "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels".

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Information & Comments About The June 2016 Massacre At The Gay Nightclub In Orlando, Florida

Edited by Azizi Powell

I am more than sad about the mass shooting at Pulse, the gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

I am angry that Florida's gun laws allowed the identified shooter to purchase the weapons of mass destruction that he used.

The United States should be better than this.

Please do all that you can to end the senseless stranglehold that the National Rifle Association (NRA) has on the passage of reasonable gun laws.

****
This post is written in support of the LGBTQ community in Florida and LGBTQ communities world wide.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post, thanks to the artist featured in the embedded YouTube video, and thanks to the publisher of that video on YouTube.

RIP all those who lost their lives in that massacre and well wishes to the other victims of that massacre.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE June 2016 MASS SHOOTING IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Orlando_nightclub_shooting
"In the early morning of June 12, 2016, a mass shooting occurred at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, United States. At least 51 people were killed, including the gunman, and 53 others wounded.[5][6]
The attack is the deadliest mass shooting in modern United States history, the deadliest incident of violence against LGBT people in U.S. history, and the deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil since the September 11 attacks of 2001. The attack was labeled by the Orlando chief of police as an act of domestic terrorism; the shooter pledging allegiance to Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Islamic State claimed responsibility. The shooter was identified as Omar Mir Seddique Mateen, a 29-year-old U.S. citizen...

Mateen became a person of interest to the FBI during investigations conducted in 2013, when he was interviewed twice and 2014, when he was interviewed once;[a] he was not ultimately deemed a threat during both cases. The 2013 investigation was opened after Mateen made "inflammatory" comments to coworkers and the 2014 investigation was opened after Mateen was linked to Moner Mohammad Abu Salha, a U.S. radical who traveled to Syria and committed a suicide bombing there.

Mateen's father, Seddique Mir Mateen, was quoted as saying that he had seen his son get angry after witnessing a gay couple kiss in front of his family at a festival marketplace in Miami months prior to the attack, which he suggested might be a motivating factor."...
-snip-
ADDED June 13, 2016 - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/orlando-shooting-homophobia_us_575ef408e4b0e4fe514327a0
"Can We Please Stop Pretending This Massacre Wasn’t About Homophobia?
We are done being erased. by JamesMichael Nichols, 06/13/2016
"With less than two days between us and the slaughter of 49 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida — during Pride month, no less — the pain only seems to be getting worse within our community.

But as we begin the process of healing, we must now deal with the non-queer, mainstream public trying to process something that we, as queer people, have always known: people hate us simply for existing as we are in the world.

The reality is we now must face how the media is reporting on this issue — and call it out when they erase the queerness of the victims who suffered in this massacre. And, predictably, many outlets are refusing to center the conversation around exactly what this is: a homophobic, transphobic, racist attack against the LGBT community."...
****
COMMENTS ABOUT THE MASS SHOOTING IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA
From http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/lin-manuel-miranda-acceptance-sonnet_us_575e0486e4b0e39a28adf831
Lin-Manuel Miranda Accepts His Tony By Reading A Sonnet Tribute To Orlando
“Love is love is love is love,” he cried, “cannot be killed or swept aside.”
06/12/2016 09:18 pm ET by Katherine Brooks
" "Not only did Lin-Manuel Miranda win a Tony for Best Original Score for his historic musical “Hamilton,” he opted to accept the award by reciting a heartfelt sonnet.

"Senseless acts of tragedy remind us that nothing here is promised, not one day,” he said. “This show is proof that history remembers. We live through times when hate and fear seem stronger. We rise and fall and light from dying embers, remembrances that hope and love last longer.”
-snip-
A video of Lin-Manuel Miranda reading his sonnet tribute is included in that article.

****
From https://www.yahoo.com/news/orlando-shooting-muslim-mans-post-013416304.html "After the Orlando Shooting, a Muslim Man's Post Is Going Viral for the Best Reason" by
Claire Lampen, June 12, 2016
"Hours after a gunman opened fire early Sunday morning on an Orlando, Florida, gay nightclub, leaving at least 50 dead and 53 injured, the city’s blood donation centers were flooded with volunteers.
Among those looking to help was Mahmoud ElAwadi, a self-described “a proud Muslim American” in the midst of a Ramadan fast who wrote about his experience in a Facebook post* that’s gone viral.

ElAwadi described “watching thousands of people” bake in the sun for hours on end in order to donate blood. He was inspired, he said, watching people of all ages come together to help, from the kids handing out fluids and food and sun protection to the war veterans to a Muslim woman in a hijab distributing supplies to those waiting to donate.

That’s what makes this “the greatest nation on Earth,” he wrote.

“Yes together we will stand against hate, terrorism, extremism and racism," ElAwadi wrote. "Yes our blood all look[s] the same so get out there and donate.

"Yes our community in central Florida is heartbroken but let’s put our colors, religions, ethnicity, sexual orientation, political views all aside so we can UNITE against those who are trying to hurt us.”

He tagged his post “feeling determined.” "
-snip-
* Here's the link to that Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156962719845720&set=a.10150425829260720.631323.824565719&type=3&theater

****
From https://www.reddit.com/r/rupaulsdragrace/comments/4nqoh0/pulse_welcomed_me_with_open_arms_and_now_im/
Pulse Welcomed Me With Open Arms And Now Im Devastated self.rupaulsdragrace
Submitted June 12, 2015 by SchoolBoyRealness
"I attended Pulse Nightclub every Monday this year to watch Drag Race. The only night I didn't attend was the night of the finale. To say that I have a special place in my heart for Pulse is an understatement. I was there when Tyra hosted a S9 viewing party. I was there when Kenya hosted an episode. I made so many friends as we watched the show we love at a club we love, one we felt safe in. Many of my friends are unaccounted for, and I can only imagine how many of the staff members are among the 50 dead. Please be safe out there everyone. Cherish your local club that much more. Cherish your queens. Cherish yourself and your loved ones. It can happen anywhere.

Please keep Orlando in your thoughts and prayers."
-snip-
Here are four comments from that blog post (June 12, 2016):
–guavagrl
"My heart is broken into a million pieces. Pulse was a place where not only were you accepted, you were celebrated. Creative hearts and minds flourished here. Pulse was a staple for the lgbt community in Orlando. I pray for all of the victims friends and families. The fact that somebody would bring such terror and violence to such an accepting and loving community is devastating. Some of my favorite memories ever were at Pulse, laughing, drinking, dancing. I can't even believe this has happened."

**
-BenHellaCreme
"I don't know what to say except that my thoughts are with you and that I am so sorry that you're going through this."

**
–CauseOfAlarm
"As a straight male, I can't emphasise enough how important it is for other heterosexual individuals to ally with the LGBTQIA community. We need to welcome the community and integrate it in mainstream society, so that everyone knows how sickeningly disgraceful scenarios like this are. It makes me sick that someone could hate so much; the world is too big a place to have any room for such small opinions. I love this community, and I know it's not mine to belong in, but there's so much courage, love, and passion in it, and we really need more of that in the world."

**
-thedragdoctor
"you are all in my thoughts and prayers today- please tell anyone you care about today- how much they mean to you-please do what you can to help the survivors and the victims' families- please speak up and speak loudly when you vote in november- please let love and hope and strength guide your thoughts and actions- my heart is open for you all!"

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SHOWCASE SOUND FILE- Diana Ross - I'm Coming Out



Marin Ljubić. Uploaded on Jan 8, 2010

"I'm Coming Out" is a hit single released by Motown singer Diana Ross in 1980, written and produced by Chic members Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers for her album diana (1980).
-snip-
Information about the song "I'm Coming Out"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_Coming_Out
"Background
In 1979, [Diana] Ross commissioned Chic founders Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards to create material for a new album after taking her daughters to see the band in concert, following the success of Ross's final Ashford & Simpson-composed and produced LP, The Boss. Rodgers got the idea for "I'm Coming Out" after noticing three different drag queens dressed as Diana Ross at a New York club called the GG Barnum Room. The lyrics hold an additional meaning to Ross, as she was leaving Motown Records and "coming out" from under Berry Gordy's thumb.

Chart success and cultural impact
The song was a hit, peaking at number five on the U.S. Pop Singles chart. It is also notable for being the first song usually performed at Ross' performances and concerts since 1980. The song has also been identified as an unofficial gay-pride anthem.

Queer Significance
“I’m Coming Out” still stands as an anthem for the gay community. The way it is perceived and its queer significance is to celebrate who you are. It refers to coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer.[2] Queers who had not revealed their sexuality had shut out a part of their identity. Most would find it safer to pretend that they are heterosexual rather than reveal their true sexual orientation. Queer individuals use this phrase to express that their identity is real. It is used over other phrases because it most closely describes the process of coming out from hiding who one is and exposing to the world that they are proud of who they are."...
-snip-
Partial lyrics for "I'm Coming Out"
"I'm coming out
I'm coming
I'm coming out
I'm coming out
I'm coming out

I'm coming out
I want the world to know
Got to let it show
I'm coming out
I want the world to know
I got to let it show

There's a new me coming out
And I just had to live
And I wanna give
I'm completely positive
I think this time around
I am gonna do it
Like you never knew it
Ooh, I'll make it through

The time has come for me
To break out of this shell
I have to shout
That I am coming out"...


Source: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/dianaross/imcomingout.html

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Throwing Shade (Definition And Non-Verbal & Verbal Examples)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides definitions of non-verbal and verbal "throwing shade". A video example of what is said to have been throwing shade (First Lady Michelle Obama rolling her eyes at then Senate Leader John Boehner) is included in this post. Also included in this post is a sub-section of a discussion thread in which a commenter is said to have thrown "world class shade".

The content of this post is presented for etymological, and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/03/what-reading-someone-throwing-shade-no.html
for an earlier pancocojams on "reading" and "throwing shade".

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DEFINITION OF THROWING SHADE (Non-Verbal And Verbal)
From http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/277511/what-is-the-correct-usage-of-throwing-shade
"Two other Google Books matches focus on the gay African American subculture from which "throw shade" in its modern sense seems to have arisen. Both articles are well worth reading at fuller length if you're interested in the subject. From Tricia Rose, "An Interview with Willi Ninja," in Microphone Fiends: Youth Music an Youth Culture (1994):
"R: Before we go, define “throw shade" for me.

N: [Laughter] Shade is basically a nonverbal response to verbal or nonverbal abuse. Shade is about using certain mannerisms in battle. If you said something nasty to me, I would just turn to you, and give you a look like: "Bitch please, you're not even worth my time, go on." All with a facial expression and body posture, that's throwing shade. If I want to be a little extra nasty I might throw in a little cough, but not so loud, just a little bit like: "You're making me choke."...

And from E. Patrick Johnson, "SNAP! Culture: a Different Way of Reading" in Text and Performance Quarterly 15(2) (1995), reprinted in Performance: Media and Technology (2003):
"The nonverbal counterpart to reading is called "throwing shade." To throw shade is to ignore a person altogether, even if the person is in immediate proximity. If a shade thrower wishes to acknowledge the presence of the third party, he or she might roll his or her eyes and neck while poking out his or her lips. People throw shade if they do not like a particular person or if that person has dissed them in the past. The effect of throwing shade in this manner is also a type of dissing, because it is considered disrespectful not to acknowledge someone's presence. In the playful mode, however, a person may throw shade at a person with whom he or she is a best friend."
-snip-
If I correctly understand that article, it is saying that originally Black and Latino drag queens used "throwing shade" to mean giving non-verbal insults. However, their use of the term "shade" (and other folks' use of that term) changed over time to what Dorian Corey said was making a "more artfully executed, more dependent on constructing a veiled (or not-so-veiled) insult rather than relying on obvious crudities and innuendo. Throwing shade requires wielding your words like a rapier rather than a cudgel." [quote from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/parisisburningrhowe_a0b315.htm ‘Paris Is Burning’ (R), By Desson Howe
Washington Post Staff Writer, August 09, 1991]
-snip-
It seems to me that at this time (2016) making an "artfully executed [verbal] insult" is still the usual definition of "throwing shade". But "throwing shade" can also still be non-verbal. Take, for instance, this 2013 example in which (rightly or wrongly" Michelle Obama

Watch Michelle Obama Throw World Historical Shade at John Boehner



Mike Roda, Published on Jan 21, 2013
-snip-
Here's a comment from that video's discussion thread:
Cristina Santamaría, 2015
"flawless shade right there"

****
Here's an excerpt of an article about throwing shade
From http://www.gurl.com/2015/03/23/flawless-examples-of-celebrities-throwing-shade-twitter-instagram-feuds/ The 22 Most Flawless Examples Of Celebrities Throwing Shade
Monday, March 23, 2015 by Jessica Booth
"One of my favorite things about social media is watching people get angry about something, then turn around and throw shade at someone in a fascinatingly epic way. Before we get any further, for those of you who don’t know the ins and outs of shade throwing, let’s check out the Urban Dictionary definition for throwing shade:

“To talk trash about a friend or acquaintance, to publicly denounce or disrespect. When throwing shade it’s immediately obvious to on-lookers that the thrower, and not the throwee, is the bitcy, uncool one”

Throwing shade can be done with an epic side-eye, by picking out flaws, or it can be done indirectly – sort of like sub-tweeting. The most flawless shade throwing moments are often the indirect ones, when you’re not sure if the person really did the shade throwing or not. It’s fun to guess! And even though celebrities usually don’t like to air their dirty laundry, many of them are still guilty of doing massive amounts of shade throwing.

The results are almost always amusing for the rest of us – except for some cases, which are just pretty offensive and will literally make you cringe."...
-snip-
Here's an example of verbal shade from that same article:

"Even Madeline Albright got in on the fun!
[tweet] - 23 Oct. 14
"Conan O'Brien ✔ ‎@ConanOBrien
I picked out my Halloween costume. I’m going as “Slutty Madeleine Albright.”

Madeleine Albright ✔ ‎@madeleine
.@ConanOBrien I'm considering going as hunky Conan O'Brien - but that might be too far fetched."
4:26 PM 23 Oct. 2014
-snip-
Here's a tweet about that exchange:
"Tony AielloVerified account
‏@AielloTV
. @madeleine @ConanOBrien call 911 - tall red haired man down - speared by rapier-like wit
2:47 PM - 23 Oct 2014" https://twitter.com/AielloTV/status/525403056897527808

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A SUB-SET OF A DISCUSSION THREAD IN WHICH A BLOGGER IS SAID TO HAVE THROWN "WORLD CLASS SHADE"
From http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-brown/white-commentary-on-lemonade_b_9780056.html White Commentary on ‘Lemonade’: No One Asked Us
04/27/2016 12:17 pm ET | Updated 20 hours ago Alex Brown
Note:
All of these comments were retrieved on 4/28/2016 at about 2 PM. I'm leaving the time stamps and other notations with each comment to show how that portion of that discussion thread flowed and what other bloggers thought about each comment.

I believe that the number after "Like . Reply" is the number of participants in that discussion who replied that they "liked" that particular comment.

I've assigned numbers to those comments for referencing purposes only.

1. Maui Strife · Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas
"its music,it doesnt matter the race, anyone can study and disect a song music in universal, because if it isnt,then why is she singing pop? and i dont want black woman to take over the world,in 5 years we would be living in huts just like with feminism."
Like · Reply · 1 · 22 hrs

**
2. Irene Lartey
"What?"
Like · Reply · 42 · 22 hrs

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3. Irene Lartey
"I've been trying to dissect this comment for about 7 minutes and I still don't get it. So I'm just going to write something random like the poster above.

The mailbox is universal. It will take over the world. Purple."
Like · Reply · 143 · 22 hrs

**
4. Jack Manley · Metadata QC Coordinator at In Demand
"Irene Lartey I may not be able to understand Lemonade due to the fact that it isn't, nor should it be, intended for me, but I do understand world-class shade. You're awesome"
Like · Reply · 71 · 22 hrs

**
5. Lynnette Beth Mcfadzen · Secretary, Board of Directors at BiNet USA
"Irene Lartey lol..what? lol"
Like · Reply · 1 · 21 hrs

**
6. Tanya Mlcm
"Irene Lartey ROFL"
Like · Reply · 8 · 21 hrs

**
7. Terrell Anderson · CEO/Founder/Owner at Get Versed
"Irene Lartey lmaaoooooooooooooooooo"
Like · Reply · 7 · 21 hrs

**
8. Coco Ochwada
"Irene Lartey OMG!!!! I'm glad Prince's decades of shade lessons have paid off for the black community. *dying*."
Like · Reply · 10 · 21 hrs

**
9. Craig Webster · Toronto, Ontario
"Feminism's living in huts??"
Like · Reply · 3 · 21 hrs

**
Retonia Knott Smith
"Irene Lartey my thoughts exactly, LMAO."
Like · Reply · 4 · 20 hrs

**
10. Sy Gruza
"Irene Lartey I guess you're comprehension-challenged. You know exactly what the poster means. address substance and bag the personal insults."
Like · Reply · 20 hrs

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11. Dee Balt
"DOES NOT MAKE SENSE!!!!!!"
Like · Reply · 3 · 20 hrs

**
12. Irene Lartey
"When there is substance, Sy Garza, I will happy to address.

Just come get me when it occurs. I'll be in my hut."
Like · Reply · 58 · 20 hrs

**
13. Joyce Konrad · Auburn, Massachusetts
"Irene Lartey ❤"
Like · Reply · 5 · 19 hrs

**
14. Jarlisa Corbett
"Irene Lartey be my friend"
Like · Reply · 5 · 19 hrs

**
15. Elissa Malaikah · Bronx, New York
"Irene Lartey i hate'chu! Thanks for making me laugh all the way home."
Like · Reply · 4 · 18 hrs

**
16. Monique Barbour · Massage Therapist at Licensed Certified Massage Therapist
"What?!"
Like · Reply · 3 · 17 hrs

**
17. Tee Artice
"Irene Lartey...don't even try to comprehend it because you can't make sense out of something that's just not sensible. SMH. Chalk it up to the attitude of entitlement that has always been instilled for centuries."
Like · Reply · 5 · 15 hrs · Edited

**
18. Danielle Terry
"Hahaha..you gave me a good laugh amongst all the serious discussion...thanks"
Like · Reply · 4 · 14 hrs

**
19. Audrey Nelson · Minnesota State University, Mankato
"Irene Lartey... 2 SNAPS GIRLFRIEND!!!!!!!!!! Sent from my Hutt.. Lmao"
Like · Reply · 6 · 13 hrs
-snip-
That comment is the end of that comment sub-set as of this time.

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Five Of My Favorite Ru Paul's Drag Race Lip Sync For Your Life Videos

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post provides information about RuPaul's Drag Race and showcases videos of five of my favorite lipsync for your life competitions from that series.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all of the performers who are featured in these videos. Thanks also to "RuPaul's Drag Race", Logo TV, and the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE
"RuPaul's Drag Race is an American reality competition television series produced by World of Wonder for Logo TV. The show documents RuPaul in his search for "America's next drag superstar."[3] RuPaul plays the roles of host, mentor, and source of inspiration for this series, as contestants are given different challenges each week. RuPaul's Drag Race employs a panel of judges, including RuPaul, Michelle Visage and a host of other guest judges, who critique contestants' progress throughout the competition. The title of the show is a play on drag queen and drag racing, and the title sequence and song "Drag Race" both have a drag-racing theme.
RuPaul's Drag Race has spanned eight seasons and inspired the spin-off shows RuPaul's Drag U and RuPaul's All Stars Drag Race. The show has become the highest-rated television programme on Logo TV,[4] and airs internationally, including in Australia, Canada and the UK. The show won Outstanding Reality Program at the 21st GLAAD Media Awards, has been nominated for 4 Critics' Choice Television Award including Best Reality Series – Competition and Best Reality Show Host for RuPaul, and was nominated for a Creative Arts Emmy Award for Outstanding Make-up for a Multi-Camera Series or Special (Non-Prosthetic)."...

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INFORMATION ABOUT "LIP SYNC FOR YOUR LIFE" COMPETITIONS
http://decider.com/2016/03/09/the-ten-best-lip-sync-for-your-life-performances-on-rupauls-drag-race/ The Ten Best Lip Sync For Your Life Performances on ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’
By Joe ReidMarch 9, 2016
"RuPaul’s Drag Race returned for its eighth season this week, with it’s 100th episode to boot. Across those 100 episode, we’ve gotten just as many Lip Sync For Your Life performances. Every episode, the two queens up for elimination must perform a head-to-head lip sync to see who gets to stick around another week. As you can imagine, things get INTENSE. In celebration of the show’s return, we picked the ten best LSFYL performances of all time. From the sickening to the sublime, these performances helped make Drag Race TV’s best reality show."
-snip-
That article features write-ups and high quality videos of ten lip RuPaul’s Drag Race’s lips sync performances. Some of those videos are also found below.

RuPaul announces the winner of the lip sync competition with the words "Shanté you stay." and the loser of the competition is told to Sashay away.

Visit this pancocojams post http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-origins-and-meanings-of-shante-you.html to find a discussion about the origins and meanings of "Shanté you stay" and "Sashay away".

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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
These videos aren't given in any ranking order. They are presented in chronological order with the oldest competition given first.

Video #1: Dida Ritz & The Princess Lip Sync - This Will Be by Natalie Cole (Season 4)



Drag Race Lip Syncs Published on Apr 17, 2013
-snip-
Shanté you stay - Dida Ritz
Sashay away - The Princess

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Video #2: Latrice Royale & Kenya Michaels Lip Sync - You Make Me Feel by (Season 4)



Drag Race Lip Syncs Published on Apr 17, 2013
-snip-
Shanté you stay - Latrice Royale
Sashay away - Kenya Michaels

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Video #3: RuPaul's Drag Race - Roxxxy Andrews VS Alyssa Edwards (Season 5)



Sean Dinneen, Published on Feb 2, 2015

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 5 - Lip Sync Battle between Roxxxy Andrews and Alyssa Edwards.

Very emotional Lip Sync between these two sickening queens! I created this video but all clips are in credit to Logo TV and sponsors.
-snip-
Shanté you stay - Roxxxy Andrews & Alyssa Edwards [Both competitors remained on the show- a very rare double shanté.]

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Video #4: RuPaul's Drag Race - Alyssa Edwards VS Coco Montrese (Season 5)



Sean Dinneen, Published on Feb 2, 2015

Rupaul's Drag Race Season 5 - Lip Sync Battle between Alyssa Edwards & Coco Montrese

These two Pageant Queens battle it out on the main stage... One of my favourite Lip Sync performances from Season 5.

I made this video by the clips in this video belong to Logo TV. All credit to Logo TV and their sponsors.
-snip-
Shanté, you stay: Coco Montrese
Sashay away: Alyssa Edwards

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Video #5: HD Chi Chi Devayne vs Thorgy Thor Lip Sync beattle - (Season 8)



Nando Kadman, Published on Apr 18, 2016

Lip Sync For Your Life Of the Rupauls Drag Race Season's 8
Credits - And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
By Jennifer Holiday
-snip-
Shanté you stay - Chi Chi Devayne
Sashay away - Thorgy Thor

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Visitor comments are welcome.

White People With Dreadlocks (With Special Attention to Ru-Paul Drag Race Contestant Thorgy Thor)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series on dreadlocks (hairstyles).

Part II provides excerpts of selected online articles and comments about White people who wear their hair in dreadlocks with special attention to comments about Thorgy Thor, a White contestant on Ru Paul's Drag Race, Season 8.

A video of Thorgy Thor with Bob the Drag Queen (a Black Season 8 contestant) is also included in this post.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/03/definitions-selected-online-article.html Part I of this pancocojams series. Part I provides two definitions and excerpts from selected online articles about the hairstyles that are now widely known as "dreadlocks" ("dreads", "locs").

Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/03/traditional-black-african-hairstyles.html for comments related to the subject of this post.

The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of the video that is embedded in this post and thanks to Thorgy Thor and Bob the Drag Queen who are featured in that video.

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SELECTED EXCERPTS
These article excerpts are presented in no particular order. I've numbered them for referencing purposes only.
EXCERPT #1:
From http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2013/06/dreadlocks_should_white_people_have_them.html [page 1 of a 3 page article]
Blacks Get Weave; Can Whites Get Locks?

Race Manners: You can, but it's not the same. Don't expect to enjoy the style without the scrutiny.
BY: JENÉE DESMOND-HARRIS, Posted: June 19 2013
[Question]
"I'm an African-American woman. My good friend, who is a white male, very progressive and pretty much a hippie, is thinking about getting dreadlocks. He's been asking me for my opinion about it and whether it would be offensive to black people, and I'm not sure. I don't know if it's fair to say, 'Don't try to make your hair look like the hair of someone of another race,' when we all know that a lot of black women who have failed to embrace their natural hair texture have weaves that imitate European hair. In that sense, I somewhat think we as Americans are a hair and style melting pot now. So I don't want to apply a double standard. Still, I'm aware that a lot of black people really hate when white people have locks, and I'd hate to set him up for criticism or for people to judge or dislike him for this choice. I know this is complicated and wonder how it would be best to advise my friend." --"Dreading" Your Response

[Response]
...When it comes to white people wearing dreadlocks, which are associated in the public mind with Rastafarians specifically, and black people more generally (although they've apparently been embraced by a variety of cultures just about forever), the public is going to read the choice in ways that go way beyond personal aesthetics...

It goes without saying that in the best-possible world, everyone would get to know your friend as an individual rather than making assumptions about him based on his appearance.

But, as these reactions demonstrate -- and as I'm sure you already know -- we don't live in that world.

As [Gene] Demby [of NPR's Code Switch blog on race, ethnicity and culture] put it, your buddy is going to have to accept that if he goes forward with the locks, he'll be "actively 'raceing' himself."

Here's what I take that to mean. His hair is going to scream "black," which is going to serve to emphasize his whiteness -- the whiteness that, perhaps, people previously just saw as neutral, or didn't consciously register. Once race is in the front of everyone's consciousness, all sorts of assumptions about his motivations and inclinations -- fair and unfair, reality-based and not, about his hair and his overall worldview -- will follow. Quickly.

Which is, well, a lot like what it's like to be a person of color.

So I think the most supportive thing you can do is to warn him about this burden. As a black woman, you know a little something about it (except that, of course, being seen through the lens of race first isn't a choice for you).

Talk to him about what it's like to be the involuntary recipient of everyone's racial baggage as you're just trying to move through the world.

By all means, tell him you'll personally support whatever choice he makes about his hair. Hell, get him some coconut oil for his scalp and a cowrie shell or two to stick on the ends. But you'll do him a disservice if you let him believe that he can borrow a traditionally black look, keep the style and be excused from the scrutiny."

****
EXCERPT #2
From http://everydayfeminism.com/2015/08/white-feminist-with-dreadlocks/
"This White Feminist Loved Her Dreadlocks – Here’s Why She Cut Them Off"
August 2, 2015 by Annah Anti-Palindrome
"What It Was Like Being A White Girl with Dreadlocks

In my late teens…I let my leg and armpit hair grow long, and I let the hair on my head spiral into a nest of cords, matts, and tangles (a hairdo I would later ignorantly and appropriatively refer to as dreadlocks).

...We idolized musicians like The Slits, Babes in Toyland, 7 Year Bitch, Ani Difranco, L7, and Switchblade Symphony – all feminists who wrote songs about smashing mainstream beauty standards – all bands featuring white women who wore their hair in dreadlocks at some point or another during their musical careers.

In navigating through a predominantly white, feminist punk subculture, I never gave a second thought to whether wearing my hair in dreadlocks was offensive — at least to any one other than to The Patriarchy.

Having dreadlocks was part of what allowed me to stop obsessing over my appearance.*

...Despite my rebellious appearance, I enjoyed a level of tolerance from authority figures and society at large that can only be attributed to my whiteness.

Everything changed when I stopped traveling, started investing in local activist projects, and began building a broader, more multiracial community.

For the first time, my peers had lots of questions and critiques about my choice to wear dreadlocks.

The responses other activists had to my hair ranged from mild irritation to downright anger.

People were constantly making comments under their breath when they passed me about “cultural appropriation” – I had no idea what that meant.

Some friends eventually suggested some readings and resources that would help me understand.

I read them and learned more about the history and symbolism of dreadlocks in the US in context to black folk’s resistance movements against white supremacy. I learned that black folks in the US with dreadlocks are not seen as “quirky” or “alternative,” but as “dangerous” and “militant”...

The Harmful Messages I Was Sending to the World as a White Woman with Dreadlocks

It finally became clear to me that by wearing my hair in dreadlocks as a white person, the nonverbal statements I was making to folks of color were:

“Look! I can reject all of mainstream society’s expectations of me and still be treated with more respect than you!”
“Your legacies of cultural resistance are so irrelevant that they’ve become nothing more than a fashion accessory to help me evade the expectations of white womanhood!”

“I don’t care that my presence illicitness discomfort and sometimes communicates what is seen as blatant disrespect!”

“I don’t care that my hairstyle symbolizes the kind of white entitlement that has resulted in centuries worth of global, colonial violence.”

Etcetera.

I’m pretty embarrassed to say so… but even after this new stage of awareness I stiiiiillllll had a super hard time letting them go...

[The section of this post "Some examples of my last stitch arguments" [with her friends responses] isn't included in this excerpt for fair use concerns [although I've already used more of that post than fair use allows. My bad.]

The Haircut

I finally cut them off – and when I did, I felt (literally and figuratively) a dozen pounds lighter.
Although I am still pretty “alternative” looking, I’ve learned to stand up against systems of oppression by doing the actual footwork in my daily life. I no longer naively expect my physical appearance (on its own) to do that work for me.

Cutting off my dreadlocks was a form of accountability – an acknowledgment of the ways in which I’ve benefited (and continue to benefit) from legacies of extreme, racialized violence.

Cutting off my dreadlocks didn’t make me an instantly “good white person” or even a trustworthy ally, but it sure as hell dismantled some of the barriers that stood in the way of cultivating deep, meaningful relationships based on mutual respect, trust and solidarity.

As feminists, we do need to continue working hard to dismantle society’s oppressive messages about femininity, but we also need to be thinking about the intersections of race, class, and gender, the ways some of us benefit from the system in which we live, and how we can empower and liberate ourselves without contributing to the oppression of someone else."
-snip-
*The bold fonts and italics were used in the original article.

I strongly recommend reading that entire post.

That post recommended reading this article about cultural appropriation of Native American culture: http://nativeappropriations.com/2014/03/dear-christina-fallin.html

****
EXCERPT #3: Bus Buddies: Bob The Drag Queen & Thorgy Thor | RuPaul's Drag Race Season 8 | Logo



Logo TV, Published on Mar 7, 2016

Bob The Drag Queen & Thorgy Thor truth talk about being drag queens and the impact RuPaul's Drag Race has had in their lives. Catch all new episodes of RuPaul's Drag Race Mondays at 9/8c on Logo.

SUBSCRIBE: http://logo.to/ZirLXq
-snip-
Thorgy Thor is a White contestant on that show who wears his hair in dreadlocks.

Selected comments from this video's discussion thread:
These comments are given in chronological order, except for responses. However, they may not be in consecutive order (since some comments may not be included in this excerpt). I've added numbers for referencing purposes only.

All these comments are from March 2016

1. Saturn Inn
"white boy's dreadlocks ewwwww"

**
Reply
2. Brayden Dawe
"Spotted the Vegan."

**
Reply
3. Saturn Inn
"lmaaaaaaaaao"

**
Reply
4. Sarah M
"lmao thats whats keepin me from liking thorgy tbh"

**
Reply
5. calbum08
"+Sarah M how very sad"

**
Reply
6. edwinelmejor08
"+Sarah M how stupid, I'm black and I don't mind."

**
Reply
7. KENNECTED
"+Saturn Inn That was shade for no reason! What does his ethnicity have to do with his hair style? Gays want acceptance and this is a prime example of the rampant racism and elitism in OUR community!"

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8. Will Soule
"+KENNECTED Yup. Amazing how those people who have felt judgement and condemnation suddenly get addicted to inflicting that on other people. Also Thorgy's dreads are beautiful. I've seen shi&&y* dreads in my life and those are dreads that have been maintained for YEARS."
-snip-
That word is fully spelled out in this comment.

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9. clo09d
"+KENNECTED racism is not "white boys in dreads ew" it's "I prefer white guys; no blacks, Latinos, Asians" ... Don't compare this silly comment with actual racism and lack of acceptance in the gay community."

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10. clo09d
"+KENNECTED Also white people cannot experience racism, so try again."

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11. KENNECTED
"+clo09d NOOOO. You're wrong. White people can experience racism. Not sure what world you're living in. The above is a racist comment. And lets be clear, I'm a PROUD MAN OF COLOR."

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12. Brayden Dawe
"+clo09d White people CAN in fact experience racism. BUT CANNOT have their rights taken away form them. Obviously they're higher on the scale of other colours. But racism is specifically hating another race for whatever reason it may be. I have a white and black family, so dont try to tell me other wise. If a white person and a black person walk into a store and a asian man was running it. And he denied both of them service due to their colour, then it's racist. White, Black, Asian, Muslim, Indian ETC. it's racist. You may hate white people but that doesn't mean you're not racist."

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13. carpethatdiem
"+Brayden Dawe Racism refers to a system of power that specifically disenfranchises a certain ethnicity or "race" of people. Someone who is racist is a beneficiary of that system and perpetuates it. What you're describing is prejudice or discrimination, which white people can experience. But they can never experience racism, at least in modern America."

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14. chicken nugget
"wow you are all so judgemental smh"

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15. Quin On A Cone
"+KENNECTED agreed."

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16. Brayden Dawe
"+carpethatdiem Anyone can experience racism. If you HATE A RACE for whatever reason, YOU. ARE.RACIST. Can't oppress white peopke but you can be racist towards them. Sorry that you dont like white people and you're being told the truth."

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17. KENNECTED
"Too much time has been spent on the dreads and taken away discussion about Thorgy and BOB interaction."

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18. IAgreeToTheseTerms
"+Saturn Inn FUN FACT! Thorgy is Norweigan, and the Norweigan culture has embraced dreads for a long period of time. It's a cultural thing, but he's not being offensive."

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19. chicken nugget
"even if he wasn't from there he can wear what he wants lol people are just too sensitive"

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20. Meadow Kitten
"Thorgys dreads are the cutest thing. He looks like that art teacher or the librarian that's crazy and fun and I lovvvve him"

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21. Quin On A Cone
"+Meadow Kitten I agree!"

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22. Sarah Merino
"R U KIDDING thorgy to me is the most interesting guy out of drag to look at. i love it wow"

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23. no name
"black girls with straight hair .... ewwww"

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24. clo09d
"+no namer there are black people naturally born with straight hair, straight hair is not a white feature. Try again Becky!"
-snip-
"Becky" is a so-called "White name" that is used to put down White females (like the older referent "Miss Ann".)

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25. KENNECTED
"Why don't we just move on??"

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26. no name
"You are complety right...although majority of black people do not have straight hair and they wear wigs and excentsions. I do not care about it. I was just trying to make a point that judging someone else because of hair is stupid. As long as someone is a good person people should not care about the way they look etc."

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27. Sarah Merino
"+no name THORGY IS BEAUTIFUL"

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28. no name
"+Sarah Merino I know. I find him really attractive too."

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29. Sarah Merino
"+no name yeahh"

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30. chicken nugget
"+clo09d um that's not true"

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31. clo09d
"+no name right, and my issue is less with Thorgy, and more with society . Why is it when Zendaya, a black woman, wore dreads people said she looked ugly and said she looked like she smelled like weed and oil. Yet people praise white people who wear dread as looking cool, hip, trendy, and unique. This isn't Thorgy's fault of course, but many black people are trying to shine light on the issue because there is a deeper background of racism going on there."

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32. clo09d
"+no name also ask your self why do so many black women wear wigs and extensions??? Because society has deemed their natural hair not beautiful. So of course black people are going to want straight hair, to fit some part of the status quo. I think dreads, curly/poofy hair, is beautiful and no one should change who they are. However that's idealistic thinking and having open discourse on WHY things are the way they are is always better than saying "Everyone love each other, we're all humans"."

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33. no name
"+clo09d You just answered yourself. Not everyone likes white guys wearing dreads... not everyone likes black girls wearing dreads...not everyone likes white woman wearing straight hair etc etc. Everyone likes different things. I do not get why people can just accept that everyone is different and move on."

..... [other comments in this discussion not included]

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34. clo09d
"+no name WOW it literally all went over your head....The reasons people don't like white guys in dreads, ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT than why people don't like black women in them. Those reasons are important because the reasons people don't like black women's hair are usually ingrained in racism. I'm so tired of having this same conversation over and over, and if I'm tired I can't imagine how black people must feel."

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35. sarah merino
"+clo09d BOY WHAT ARE U SAYING I don't recall anyone hating on Zendaya having dreads!!! She was praised like a queen what do you mean! If a white person or a black person wants to get dreads or any type of hair style then f&&&ing* allow them to!! WHY SO MUCH ARGUEING DAMN"
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.

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36. Seventh Poet
"+sarah merino it was specific people and those that supported them. The outpouring of support for Zendaya happened after the inappropriate comments
http://www.refinery29.com/2015/02/82786/zendaya-giuliana-rancic-dreadlock-comment
Giuliana did appologize. The video apology was better received"

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37. sarah merino
"+Seventh Poet honestly I believe that we should all just love and accept each other already damnnnn, its 2016 what is up with this world smh!!"

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38. Seventh Poet
"+sarah merino I feel similarly. Do more good than harm is a rule that I wish we all could live by :)"

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39. Sarah Merino
"+Seventh Poet exactly!!!!"

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40. no name
"+clo09d Man you are just angry person. Move on. damnnn"

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41. no name
"+clo09d I AM BLACK...so please stop now."

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42. clo09d
"+no name Explaining the discourse racism = Angry Person?? GOODBYE."
[end of that exchange as of March 29, 2016]

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43. Zania “MakeupByZania” Sydnor
"I love Thorgy's dreads!!"

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44. Yuki Rabbit
"+Zania “MakeupByZania” Sydnor Me too! There's something very 80's-90's nostalgic about Thorgy's boy look."
[end of that exchange as of March 29, 2016]

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45. Jon Doemans
"Is thorgy part black?"

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46. Victor Mendoza
"Does he look black?"

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47. Jon Doemans
"Did you miss where I wrote 'PART BLACK,' by which I mean NOT ENTIRELY BLACK? You can't go on phenotype alone, so I'm just wondering how she identifies. Cu&t"*
[end of that exchange to date]
*That pejorative referent was completely spelled out in that comment.

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48. jandre
"I love the 90's style & Thorgy pleases me, since he reminds me of a long lost Milli Vanilli group member."
-snip-
Milli Vanilli were a Black German R&B duo (late 1980s, early 1990s). Both of these men wore their hair in dreadlocks.

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49.strawberryvines
"those dreadsss!!! lol like this one."
-snip-
The screen photo of this commenter is a black women with dreads.

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EXCERPT #4:
From https://www.reddit.com/r/rupaulsdragrace/comments/4cekpq/an_open_letter_to_kat_blaque_regarding_rupauls/

[Note: This discussion thread was posted in response to a Huffington Post article by Kat Blaque that indicated that Ru-Paul's Drag Race was anti-black". All of these comments are from March 29, 2016.]

qbertp
"As someone not from the US and very little related to racial problems of this kind, it's just so absurd to me.

I feel the same way .-. it's all so confusing, i'm not counting how many "latino" or "asian" or "black" queens are on the show... lots of queens had "bad edits" but i refuse to believe it's a racial thing, even because in season 7 ... I loved Kennedy °:°, she's funny, beautiful and talented, each time I re-watch the season I think she's one of my favourites (I was just a bit annoyed and surprised in the end when Ginger and Kennedy read the younger queens... but again °.° that's their personality, I guess)

you know what... I'm scared. You're all complaining about thorgy's dreads, "cultural appropriation" and stuff like that, are british people offended by Dela's Maggie Smith or Ginger's Adele? I mean i bet no russian is complaining about Katya pretending to be russian, and no asian is complaining about Trixie wearing a chinese Qipao awkwardly mixed with Japanese features, nor I'm complaining about Miss Fame's weird italian accent (I had a good laugh instead) or egyptians making pizza (I swear they're the best pizza makers in Rome °:°) - AW WAIT i read somewhere KimChi was offensive to Japanese people because she said she was like a walking ANIME and she's Corean o.o, guys that's crazy. Am I offended because every single character in an anime is actually japanese but it's portrayed as white with exaggerated white features? (If ever I'm concerned because Japanese people seem to underestimate their own beauty and culture O.o - and of course, it's weird they rarely diversify ethnicities)

I dunno, i wish there were more italian references in the show °:° mock an Opera! Sing some italian songs, make a fellini spoof i dunno X.X i'm confused, someone help me understand all this hatred ."
-snip-
This commenter refers to White contestants Dela, Ginger, Katya, Trixie, and Miss Fame, and Asian contestant KimChi- all of whom were on other Seasons of Ru Paul's Drag Race.

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Vervaine,
"Thory's hair is a little different than putting on an accent because Black hair (in America at least) has been a huge problem for black people. Basically, black hair was/is deemed unattractive which is why relaxing (which is terrible for your hair), weaves, wigs, etc. are popular among black women. So when a white person takes a hairstyle traditionally associated with black hair, it is having your cake and eating it too. IE white hair is the apex, the ideal but if a white person wants to wear dreads then they're cool because it's so unique. Whereas afros and dreads are usually considered unprofessional hair styles even though black hair can be easily managed that way/does that naturally unlike white hair.

TL;DR: When black hair is deemed ugly/unprofessional and black people feel obligated to conform to white beauty standards both socially and professionally, it's not cute when a white person has "black" hair to be... edgy? Unique?"

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qbertp
"thanks Vervaine, I have some more clues now, I didn't know "traditional black hair" was deemed unprofessional I guess the piece I was missing is that discrimination is still a topical issue in the U.S., in that case I understand you could feel in some way duped by a white guy wearing a tipically black hairdo.
however for the sake of conversation, following that logic LOADS of things we take as granted should be re-considered .-. I mean Drag itself consists of men dressing up as women, which applies perfectly to your example: women were mistreated, under payed, and often accused of dressing up too sexually, so men shouldn't dress up as women because it's dis-respectful? I mean it could be in a sense... but I believe we're over that..., at least on this sub... sigh. (Guys these issues are really tangled, I need some further study, in fact if you want to counter argument, please do, i'm sorry it looks like i'm pontificating but I just want to have a better picture, really).

I mean the languages we speak today are the unprofessional versions of the ancient ones, eventually borrowed by the same elite who initially despised them, because some clever guy once said "Latin is beautiful but what people speak is equally valuable" °.° And that was a relief not an offense.

It sounds a bit paradoxical to me because it looks like the solution to the problem would be... sharing your culture and allow it to become normal and beautiful at the eyes of the world. (Of course if you have dreads and you're a racist, you're an ass**le; just as much as if you're homophobic and you hate gay people, but you know...)

Between you and me, aesthetically I don't like Thorgy's dreads as much as i don't like Coco wearing blue contacts while not in drag, or a man wearing a skirt in everyday life (aesthetically, because i have a different taste) but I know i could change my mind and become accustomed to a new taste sooner or later, and even ... i dunno ... wear a skirt?

Still on the other hand black people with blue eyes are born every day and (I'm from southern Italy) I know Italians with hair thicker and curlier than most black people, who would likely develop dread naturally if they didn't comb, so what really defines tradition? What really define race, they're really vague and fleeting concepts, I mean history demonstrate they're bound to mix and change, so why should i stop progress °.°
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/real-life-stories/black-white-twins-meet-sisters-5256945 Those two lovely girls are twin sisters, who's black and who's white? Does the ginger one feels white or the brunette one feels black, what does that even mean! °.° Shouldn't they feel...Irish? (I now I feel Italian, I would never think to label myself as white). Is the ginger one allowed to braid her hair? O.O So if "hair" is a symbol for discrimination, I just hope in the future the progress will continue to wipe every boundary out :p as it has always done, and that's why nowadays we can enjoy a show about men in drag and homosexuality as a normal thing

I grew up in a country which constantly laughs at its own stereotypes, and is ... PROUD of them. Stereotypes are a form of folk culture, and represent the easiest way to spot your flaws and your strenghts... i can't really explain myself It's a tricky and philosophical matter .-. I shan't really talk without further reasoning I'm sorry, however kudos to Naomi Daniels (Btw we have a great Donatella Versace impersonator here, she's crazy funny, i wish there was a subbed version of her sketch on youtube, it's like Donatella meets Deathbecomesher)"
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/03/selected-comments-from-rebuttal-of-kat.html for more excerpts of this discussion, including responses to the comments about living in a country that is proud of its stereotypes.

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