ABOVE: “Pose-A-Thon” will premiere June 26 and bring together the cast of the groundbreaking FX series to celebrate Pride, as well as raise awareness for LGBTQ+ equality. (Photo courtesy Michael Bulbenko, Paley Center for Media)
The Emmy and GLAAD Media award-winning television series “Pose” is emerging from its coronavirus-induced hiatus for a virtual Pride Month special.
“Pose-A-Thon” has been described as an “event [that] will bring together the voices of ‘Pose’ for stories, songs and support of LGBTQ+ education, social change for sexual and gender minority people of color and transgender equality through legal services and policy efforts,” according to an official statement made by FX.
The special will be hosted by “Pose” stars Billy Porter (aka Pray Tell) and Mj Rodriguez (aka Blanca Rodriguez) and feature appearances by other cast members including Ryan Jamaal, Dyllón Burnside, Indya Moore, Angel Bismark Curiel, Dominique Jackson, Angelica Ross and Hailie Sahar.
The event is being held in partnership with the LGBTQ+ organizations GLSEN, Hetrick-Martin Institute and Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund. According to Deadline, viewers will be given information during the special on how to offer support to the efforts of these advocacy groups.
GLSEN is an LGBTQ-education organization and its self-defined mission is to “to ensure that every member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.”
Hetrick-Martin Institute is a New York City-based nonprofit that aims to “provid[e] [LGBTQ+ youth with] a safe place to access basic needs, mental health and physical wellness programs, academic enrichment and job readiness trainings.”
Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund is a civil rights organization dedicated to “ending discrimination based upon gender identity and expression and to achieving equality for transgender people through public education, test-case litigation, direct legal services and public policy efforts.”
“Pose” premiered in June 2018 and was co-created by queer TV heavyweight Ryan Murphy. From its inception, the show broke ground with its trans inclusivity, casting “the largest number of transgender actors in series regular roles for a scripted series.” The series is centered around New York City’s LGBTQ+ ballroom scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s and follows the story of Blanca Rodriguez, a trans woman of color and HIV-patient, as she sets out to assemble her own ballroom house.
Production on the third season of the show came to a screeching halt in March due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States.
Janet Mock, who serves as an executive producer, director and writer on “Pose,” says the decision to create the special was a quick one and emphasized the importance of shining a light on the issues currently faced by queer people of color.
“‘Since we’ve been unable to shoot the show we love, we jumped at the chance to reunite our ‘Pose’ family and partner with the studio and network to raise spirits and awareness about the plight of LGBTQ+ people of color during such a turbulent time,’” Mock said. “‘This Pride month special is a commemoration of our forebears’ efforts, a memorial for trans lives lost and a celebration of the life-saving work of LGBTQ+ organizations.’”
“Pose-A-Thon” will air June 26 on FX, Freeform and Hulu. It will also be available to stream online at PoseAThon.com. Catch a sneak peek of the special below.
