Turning Lead into Gold: The Hidden History of Ballroom

Ballroom historian, storyteller, and producer Sydney Baloue joins NatsHoney to trace the histories that get left out, and the people who refuse to disappear from them. From ballroom’s deep ties to sex work to the erasure of trans men and masculine people, Sydney challenges respectability politics and asks who actually gets a seat at the table. They explore chosen family, Black culture, spirituality, and the importance of letting communities tell their own stories. Along the way, Sydney connects ballroom to generations of collective resistance and creativity, reminding us that liberation doesn’t happen through a single hero: it takes all hands on deck.   All the Links: Sydney’s Instagram https://instagram.com/sydneybaloue Sydney’s Website https://sydneybaloue.com Donate to our work https://yaswork.org/donate YAS Work Instagram https://instagram.com/yasworkorg YAS Work BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/yaswork.bsky.social YAS Work Twitter https://x.com/YASWorkOrg YAS Work Youtube https://youtube.com/@YASWorkOrg YASStore.Shop https://yasstore.shop   All the Chapters: 00:34 Introduction to YAS Podcast and Guest Sydney Baloue 02:57 International Horrors Day: Significance and Experience 10:29 The Role of a Ballroom Historian 21:49 Trans Visibility and Current Challenges 31:30 Power Dynamics in the LGBTQ Community 32:28 Visibility and Inclusion in the Trans Community 36:31 Documenting Trans History and Representation 49:54 Spirituality, Hoodoo, and Storytelling in Identity 01:00:17 Cultural Connections: Ballroom, Spirituality, and Resilience 01:01:08 The Alchemical Experience of the African American Journey 01:06:34 Creative Projects and the Pursuit of Storytelling 01:12:20 The Intersection of Ballroom Culture and Sex Work 01:19:24 Understanding Transphobia and Its Roots 01:22:59 Building Bridges and Community Engagement