What "Reading For Filth" Means

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision -May 26, 2024
 
This is Part I of a three part pancocojams series about the vernacular term "reading for filth".

This pancocojams post provides definitions of and examples of the vernacular term "reading [someone] for filth". That pancocojams post provides definitions of and examples of the vernacular term "reading [someone] to [or for] filth". Definitions and examples of the related vernacular terms "[throwing] shade" and "reading for shame" are also included in this post.

These definitions and examples are retrieved from YouTube and from certain other online site.

Read my comments below about my theories on the meaning of "reading" and "filth" in the phrase "reading" [a person] for [or to] filth".

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/09/elektra-abundance-reads-for-filth-pose.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. Part II showcases a video clip from the television series "Pose" (Season 1) entitled "Elektra Abundance Reads For Filth". Selected comments from that video's discussion thread are included in that post.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/09/elektra-reads-customer-for-filth-pose.html for Part III of this pancocojams series. Part III showcases a video clip from the television series "Pose" (Season 2) entitled "Elektra Reads Customer For Filth". Selected comments from that video's discussion thread are included in that post.

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

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in these comments and videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/03/what-reading-someone-throwing-shade-no.html for a closely related 2014 pancocojams post entitled "What "Reading Someone", "Throwing Shade", & "No Tea No Shade" Mean".

I revisited this subject as a result of Billy Porter winning an Emmy for lead actor in a drama series (2019) for his depiction of "Pray Tell", emcee of New York City drag balls in the 1980.

Click https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2019-09-22/emmys-pose-billy-porter-historic-win for an article about Billy Porter's historic win as the first openly gay Black man to win in this category.

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
I believe that "reading [someone] to [or for] filth is the epitome of reading someone, i.e. being more skillful, more witty, more artful, and, therefore, more devastating in your insult/s than a mere read would have been.

I think that "reading someone for shame" may be the same thing as "reading [someone] to [or for] filth."

Please share additions or corrections to these general statements and/or to the statements given below. Thanks!

DEFINITIONS OF READING SOMEONE
These entries are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.

1. From https://www.bustle.com/articles/82642-the-12-best-burns-in-history-because-reading-for-filth-is-nothing-new The 12 Best Burns In History, Because 'Reading For Filth' Is Nothing New
By JR THORPE, May 12, 2015
"If you don't know the beautiful term "to read for filth," it's time you learned. Popularized by the cult film Paris Is Burning back in 1990, "reading" probably originated in the LGBT community in New York in the 1980s — and it's the art of the ultimate witty comeback, the burn that packs a witty punch with a serious sting in the tail. Reading for filth? That's taking it to its furthest extent, with insults so brutally eloquent that they make you with* you'd said them instead."...
-snip-
“with” is probably a typo for “wish”

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2. From https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=XZvTX4o3LAI Welcome To Reading and Shade 101 by Kari Howard, Published on Jan 6, 2014
Comment from I. Vee, 2014;
Kari Howard
"See, I don't like your definition of reading. Reading is more than just insulting someone. It's insulting them directly, but artfully, using comparisons, metaphor, and rhetoric to support your insult. And then shade is really the art of indirect reading; it's insulting someone, minus the insult.

Here, look at this example:

Insulting someone: "You're fat, and you're ugly."
Reading someone: "Gurl, you've gained so much weight you should be shopping in Jared's old closet! And what are you doing outside with that busted face, hasn't Animal Control caught your ass yet?"
Shading someone: "You know, I saw that blouse you're wearing in the window of Lane Bryant and KNEW it would work for you, good eye! And how's that plastic surgeon of yours doing, have you been making your appointments?"

REPLY
Kari Howard, 2014
"Thank you for the comment, I do indeed like your definition way better than mine!"

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3. From https://www.capetownmagazine.com/arts-culture/a-beginners-guide-to-drag-terminology/104_22_19320 A Beginner’s Guide to Drag Terminology by Gary Hartley [no date noted but reference to 2018]
We enlist the help of some of Cape Town’s ‘sickening’ drag queens to school you on the drag dictionary

Over the last couple of years, RuPaul’s reality TV show, RuPaul’s Drag Race, has become a global phenomenon, and as a result, queer slang, colloquialisms and phrases have permeated popular culture. In fact, a number of the gender-bending contestants, and RuPaul herself, have inspired memes more shareable (Cher-able) than Grumpy Cat. Of course, drag performers around the world have been using the terms in their acts for decades, with the 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning, a film that explores New York’s 1980s underground balls (drag pageants and queer performance spaces), credited with first exposing larger audiences to terms like ‘fierce’, ‘shade’, ‘werk’ (with an ‘e’) and ‘vogue’, amongst others.

But despite the language being more and more popularised, the etymologies of queer slang words aren’t exactly known, and there are still people who are left scratching their heads during drag shows because they are unable to decode the linguistics.

So, with the Mother City being at the forefront of drag performance in South Africa, we’ve decided to enlist the help of some of Cape Town’s top drag artists to bring you a beginner’s guide to drag terminology. Learn what it means to ‘throw shade’, ‘read’ and ‘serve realness’ thanks to some definitions and examples from Mary Scary, Princess Pop and Manila von Teez.

THE DRAG QUEEN DICTIONARY (DRAGTIONARY) FOR BEGINNERS

[...]

Read |rēd| verb.

Insulting someone with minimal effort.
Queens typically read each other in sessions (a phenomenon that's a bit like a wittier freestyle battle).
Before a formal session of queens reading each other can commence, the facilitator usually declares, "The library is open”.
If you unleash a ruthless onslaught of insults, you are reading someone to filth.
Example: "Hunty, is it just me, or does your weave come from the R5 store? Oh wait, you don't stop there anymore, it got too expensive,” digs Princess Pop.

Shade |SHād| noun and verb.

A subtler form of reading
“When one makes a comment in a company of people, or face-to-face, with the intention of insulting someone or to remind them of an embarrassing moment,” explains Manila von Teez.
When someone insults you in an indirect manner, they are throwing shade.
Example: “Ooh, girl - you look gorgeous in that double volume Ronettes wig,” says Mary Scary.".

[...]

So there you have it; a concise and thorough guide to drag-talk.

We think we read a little better than that washed up queen Merriam Webster (shade!).”....
-snip-
Italics added to highlight this statement

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4. From https://www.reddit.com/r/rupaulsdragrace/comments/24jaeu/how_do_you_read_someone_to_filth/ How do you read someone to filth?; Posted byu/marvin1013, 2014
a. "How do you read someone to filth?
So, my friends and I likes to read each other for fun, but she usually wins. Is there any tips or tricks to read someone?

I want to be fast and clever when they read me so i can twist their words around. So any tips?"

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b. Ximxim, 2014
"You wanna talk about reading? Here are a few tips 1- don't go for the obvious, or the hurtful. Reading isn't about the easy joke, like calling a fat person fat. That may be true, but it isn't clever. Reading should be about choices the person has made, specific things about them. Don't hit someone's sore spots either, this isn't supposed to be cruel. 2- the easy way to read is something like this- point out the ridiculous thing (girl, those jagged ass toenails!), then compare it to a pop culture reference or two (you get a pedicure from lilo?). 3- the fake compliment is also good. "I think it's so brave of you to wear your hair like that- who cares what people say." 4- finally, the most advanced level of reading is. Bianca style, where you both insult and enlighten. When I get there I'll let you know."

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REPLY
c. LoisCarmen, 2014
"THIS SO MUCH. Saying, "you ugly fatass!" Isn't reading, your just being an ass. Keep it clever and keep it cute."

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d. [deleted], 2014
"practice practice practice and slowly build your rolodex of hate. I like to use facial expressions à la Bianca. ''Oh you look so good today.'' disgusted face immediately
-snip-
Pancocojams Editor's note: "Bianca" probably refers to "Bianca Del Rio" is the winner of Season 6 of the television series RuPaul's Drag Race (2014).

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5. http://www.waywordradio.org/throw_shade/
"Reading, Reading to filth — To really let someone have it; to insult or criticize.

Ex: Well, if I see her out tonight, I will read her to filth. I will tear her sh&& up like newspaper.
-snip-
Note the addition of the intensifier "really" which I believe separates "reading" from "reading to [or for] filth".

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A FEW ONLINE EXAMPLES OF "READING FOR FILTH" AND "READING FOR SHAME"
Pancocojams Editor's Note: The following comments either include the term "reading to [or for] filth" or "reading for shame" or are examples of those insult forms.
[Addition: September 24, 2019] - "Reading for shame" appears to be less often used than "reading to [or for] filth". I think that "reading for shame" means that the "reader" is "shaming" [making the "readee"] ashamed by insulting her/him or them].

These entries are given in no particular order and numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

WARNING: These clips often contain profanity and other references that may not be suitable for children.

1. From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEM4La4L_a8 Pose | Season 1: Pray Tell ‘Em | FX ; FX Networks, Published on Aug 15, 2018

[Pancocojams Editor: These are comments made about drag ball contestants by Pray Tell, the emcee at that ball]

a. Kay T 38, 2018
"Pray Tell can definitely read you for shame honey!!!. I LOVE IT...lol"

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b. movie gurl74, 2018
"Put that in the Xmas ornament box,an we'll get back too to U 😂😂😂😂😂😂"

**
c. Tommy Lee, 2018
"Place that’s jacket in the Christmas ornament box! 🗣Hollering 🤣"

**
d. Tan, 2019
"♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️ Love PrayTell! “They’re serving us Buckingham Palace high tea...while the rest of you only know Lipton from the diner!”

**
e. Vanessa Allmon, 2019
"Where is the Halston/JCPenney read?????? That one was epic!"
-snip-
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnHh0FrOb5E "POSE on FX: Category is High Fashion Evening Wear! Ladies of Luxury!" for a video clip which includes that particular read.

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2. From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AT_JpGDrN0
POSE - Fem Queen Vogue; Ron Ramseur, Published on Aug 26, 2018
a. Daddie_Doll, 2019
" “Do you have category dyslexia?”😭😭😭"

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b. emilou j, 2019
"1:29
Miss Caaannddyyyyyyyy 😂😂😂"

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c. Rejinald Palmer, 2019
"You know you're about to get read for filth when someone has to stretch out the last syllable of your name."

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d. jonwiley, 2019
"3:23 what is up with this girl's shape? She looks like a boiled egg with legs."

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REPLY
e. Marc Murray, 2019
"LMAO You went there."

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3. From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLMVwSmDAdA
POSE on FX: The Category Is Linen or Silk & Shade!; Butterfly Kisses, Published on Jul 22, 2018
a. DCombz, 2019
"Elektra reading them to filth is a required clip to watch after this one."

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This concludes Part I of this two part pancocojams series.

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