Thousands to Attend GMHC's Latex Ball

Nearly 3,000 people from around the world are expected to attend GMHC's 24th Annual Latex Ball, including fashion models, designers, famous photographers and members of House and Ballroom community. The Latex Ball is the largest ball for the House and Ball community in the world.

"The Latex Ball is an important public health intervention that primarily reaches Black and Latino youth and adults who continue to be disproportionately impacted by HIV," said Kelsey Louie, Chief Executive Officer of GMHC. "The ball taps into the creativity, resiliency and strength that exist within the House and Ball community, celebrates their community and dynamism and encourages members to channel their talents into ways that impact mainstream culture."

The House and Ball community has inspired artists, designer and entertainers, including Madonna's global hit "Vogue." The community was also chronicled in the 1990 documentary, "Paris is Burning" directed by Jennie Livingston, in which she followed the members of the House and Ball community over the course of seven years. To this day, this movie is still considered a definitive film about the community.

The event incorporates free HIV testing, prevention materials and sexual health messaging provided by GMHC, 30 other community-based organizations, as well as the NYC and NY State health departments.

With the House and Ball community losing many members to AIDS at the onset of the HIV epidemic in the 1980s, and with many other members either HIV-positive or at high-risk of contracting the virus, GMHC and leaders from the ballroom community created the House of Latex Project in 1989. The Latex Project, which runs the Latex Ball, continues to link community members with resources to improve health outcomes, and provide workshops on HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

Staff members from GMHC conduct outreach at balls, LGBTQ youth venues and through social media networks to incorporate innovative approaches to HIV prevention and safer sex messaging. GMHC also hosts mini-balls, also known as "kiki functions," that reach hundreds of youth and young adults, offers HIV testing and prevention materials, and serves youth who are not affiliated with a house, but who are part of the broader ballroom community.

This year, the competition categories were designed around the theme of "A Family Affair: A Celebration of Ballroom Families -- Past, Present and Future." A panel of esteemed judges will select individual and team winners. Participants in the competitions (categories) compete amongst each other (such as walking the runway) for trophies and cash prizes in various categories. Prior to the start of competitions, entertainers perform at the delight of the audience. Awards based on excellence in performance, creativity and community service are also given to respected leaders in the community.

The House and Ballroom community, comprised predominately though not exclusively of Black and Latino LGBTQ individuals, is built upon an organizational structure of "houses." A "house" is considered a club or "surrogate family" which has a "house mother," "house father" and "children" who adopt the house name as their surname (e.g., Luna Khan, Father of the House of Khan, etc.).

Members of the houses, both young and older, compete in balls and related activities sponsored by various houses and promoters throughout the year. House mothers and fathers often provide support for LGBTQ youth who otherwise might be homeless, nearly homeless, and/or without any parental guidance.

The 24th Annual Latex Ball will be held at 8 p.m. on August 16 at Terminal Five, 610 W. 56th St. For more information, visit www.gmhc.org