Some moments in history don’t just happen—they are fought for. The recent GLAAD Award nomination for America in Black on BET+ is one of those moments, a testament to the ongoing fight for visibility, recognition, and respect for ballroom culture in the mainstream.
At the heart of this nomination is a story that demanded to be told. It wasn’t just about showcasing ballroom—it was about ensuring that O’Shae Sibley’s life, artistry, and impact were seen, heard, and remembered. And it all started with Father Marcus LaBeija.
When O’Shae Sibley was murdered, his story risked being reduced to a headline. Another Black queer life lost to violence. Another protest overlooked. Another moment of grief that mainstream media was all too ready to move past. But Father Marcus LaBeija refused to let that happen.
As a filmmaker and advocate, he had already shot, produced, and directed a video of O’Shae before his passing—a project O’Shae himself had been eager to release. When Marcus saw that the protest following O’Shae’s murder wasn’t getting the attention it deserved, he knew it was time to act.
Sitting in meetings at BET, he initiated the conversation—pushing for O’Shae’s story to be told with the depth and care it required. That persistence led to the network backing the completion of O’Shae’s video and ultimately set the stage for a full news segment on America in Black.
With BET Producer Steven Ramey stepping in to develop the segment and Justin Pye and Trey Sherman joining for production, the project evolved into something even bigger. What started as a personal mission became a national platform—a chance to demand space for O’Shae’s story, for ballroom, and for the voices that too often go unheard.
For many, ballroom is simply an underground scene or an aesthetic borrowed by pop culture. In reality, it is a revolution—a space of survival, self-expression, and defiance for Black and Latinx LGBTQ+ communities who have historically been erased from mainstream narratives.
Every performance, every category, every house carries a legacy of resilience. Vogue, realness, runway—these are more than competitions. They are acts of storytelling, statements of existence, and declarations of freedom in a world that has too often denied it.
This is why representation in media matters. When networks like BET+ give ballroom an authentic stage, they aren’t just showcasing a subculture—they are correcting an erasure.
For too long, the mainstream has taken from ballroom without acknowledgment. From fashion to music to language, the culture has shaped global trends while its pioneers remain in the shadows. That’s what makes this GLAAD nomination so significant. It is not just a celebration of ballroom’s influence—it is a recognition of its power.
A nomination is a milestone, but the work is far from over.
Moments like this happen because someone speaks up. Because Father Marcus LaBeija sat in those meetings and made sure O’Shae’s story wasn’t ignored. Because people refuse to let the world forget.
For those who believe in the preservation of ballroom history, in honoring Black and queer legacies, and in amplifying the voices of those who built the culture the world continues to celebrate, there are ways to help:
Visibility is not enough—preservation, protection, and respect are what truly matter. This nomination is just one step. The real victory will be ensuring that ballroom’s legacy continues to thrive, on its own terms, for generations to come.
Because ballroom was never just about the trophies. It was about making sure the world never forgets who we are.
.png){kind=small}
