Why "Pose" is the Next Best Thing

If you don't live under a rock, you've probably heard about the television show #Pose. Pose is an FX show, who's executive producer is none other than Ryan Murphy. When I first heard of the show, I knew nothing about it, and immediately assumed it had to do with photography given its' title. I was instantly proven wrong within the first couple minutes. I went into this show thinking it would be a superficial show that slowly killed one brain cell after the other, kind of like #KUWTK. What I found instead was a show that captivated me in seconds, had me in tears in minutes and had me thinking for days.

Pose is set in 1987 in New York City, aka the best city in the world. The show presents us with a juxtaposed story line ranging from the African American and Latino #LGBTQ+ community, all the way to Wall Street. Pose perfectly exhibits what it's like to live in the late 80's as a minority, while also showing the whiteness that exists in our society.

Evan Peters, who Murphy loves to re-cast, plays a white man who has restricted himself because of the society he lives in. His character Stan falls in love with Angel, a transgender woman of color, who is played by Indya Moore. Their love story is unique for one reason in particular: Angel holds a majority of the power in their relationship (which is ironic for many reasons).

Angel is a transgender woman of color, who was also a sex worker, yet the relationship is on her terms. It's hard for me to admit that I, myself, have these patriarchal ideologies instilled in me because the power dynamic of their relationship threw me off my feet. Angel speaks up about what she wants from the jump, and that intimidated Stan at first. Most white men are intimidated by anyone (particularly women of color) who can do something better than they can, but this white man was more curious than intimidated. You can see his curiosity and intimidation through the shots; Angel is always standing over him. Whether it be the Pier, the Peep show, or the streets of New York, Angel is always standing above Stan which is shown when the camera is angled upwards from Stan's shoulders, giving the audience the impression that Angel is looking down at him. You can see how much power Angel has in something as small as the shots.

Most people reading this are probably wondering how Angel possesses the power she has since she is a minority. The answer is simple: she is #free. Angel is so authentic, and unapologetically herself, that there is no amount of power or money that could restrain her. Stan, himself, ironically tells Angel, "you’re who you are even though the price you pay for it is being disinvited from the rest of the world. I’m the one playing dress-up. Is it so wrong to want to be with one of the few people who isn’t?”

As an avid Ryan Murphy #stan, I see how the show is meant to enlighten the audience in some way. We all go into our experiences with prior experiences, knowledge and implicit biases. Murphy is trying to strip those ideologies that have been instilled in us for generations, and give us an opportunity to look at a story and interpret it for what it is on its own, rather than what surrounds it.

The best part about the show isn't the story itself, but the story's of those who act in it. Pose features the largest number of openly trans actors as lead roles, which is an huge step forward for the LGBTQ+ community. Every single actor and character has their struggles, which Ryan Murphy idolizes. The show is also educational and tackles many issues in regards to race in the LGBTQ+ community (the intersectionality of it), which almost gaurentees its ability to relate to everyone. If you are looking for a show to warm your heart, your search can stop and you can POSE!