The Aggressives

Shot over the course of 1997–2004, this documentary is an incredible snapshot of a vibrant array of butches, studs, and masc folks of color from the New York City ballroom and nightlife scene who are claiming their own space and identity. The film offers profiles of six “Aggressives” or “AGs,” including trans actor and activist Marquise Vilsón, who pass as male through a wide range of masculine identities. By turning the camera on them as they speak about their lives, it becomes clear where language fails to fully capture each individual’s lived experience and nuanced gender identity.