Burlesque

Burlesque is a stage art that mixes striptease, comedy, satire, and spectacle. It grew out of 19th century American entertainment, where playful, self-aware performance used the body to parody and comment on ideas about gender, beauty, and desire. The modern revival, called neo-burlesque, has become a strong space for LGBTQ+ expression. Its performers often lean into gender-bending, pro-sex feminism and put queer and trans bodies, along with bodies of every size and shape, at the center of the stage. Much like drag, burlesque treats norms of femininity and sexuality as material to be enjoyed, exaggerated, and challenged. It remains a lively part of queer nightlife, where gender, sexuality, and embodiment can all be performed on the performer's own terms.