9 Things The Mainstream Got From LGBTQ+ Culture

From house music to shade, do you know where it all began?

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LGBTQ culture has been "borrowed" by the mainstream, often no giving credit to the originators. You see it in reality shows, music, fashion and movies. Here are the 10 things you might not have known started with the queer community. Learn it and learn well!

Photo By (Photos from left: YouTube, Michel Delsol/Getty Images, Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives)

Vogue - In 1990, Madonna had an epic hit with the song "Vogue." However, the infamous moves associated with the hit were taken directly from the Black and Latino ballroom scene. Two people battle it out on the dance floor and grab a grand prize. The dance form is all about rhythm, drama and an attitude. Just so you know, Madonna didn't invent voguing.(Photo: Sire Records, Warner Bros Records)

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In 1990, Madonna had an epic hit with the song "Vogue." However, the famous moves associated with the No. 1 song were taken directly from the Black and Latin queer ballroom scene. The dance form is all about rhythm, drama and an attitude and is now an internet sensation. But just so you know, Madonna didn't invent voguing, it came directly from queer communities. (Photo: Sire Records, Warner Bros Records)

Contour - Everyone from the Real Housewives of Atlanta to Nicki Minaj to Lil Kim love some heavy contour, which is a look borrowed from drag culture. When Nicki was accused of having plastic surgery, she even explained that she got her makeup queues from the drag queens on RuPaul's Drag Race. Contour creates an illusion, helping to transform you into whoever you want to be. Makeup is an art form!(Photo from left: Ethan Miller/Getty Images, David Livingston/Getty Images)

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Everyone from The Real Housewives of Atlanta to Nicki Minaj to Lil Kim love some heavy contour, which is a look borrowed from drag culture. When Nicki was accused of having plastic surgery in 2013, she explained that she got her makeup queues from the drag queens on RuPaul's Drag Race, "I’ve never had surgery on my face. They’ll see contour and they’ll think you had surgery on your nose, no no no, look at 'RuPaul’s Drag Race' and you’ll see how you can make your nose look any shape you want." Contour creates an illusion, helping to transform you into whoever you want to be. (Photo from left: Ethan Miller/Getty Images, David Livingston/Getty Images)

Shade  - This ubiquitous saying is another word that started among Black and Latino, mainly gay men. However, most people don't understand what shade means. As the late great Dorian Corey said, "Shade is I don't tell you you're ugly but I don't have to tell you because you know you're ugly ... and that's shade." Learn it! (Photo: Academy Entertainment, Off White Productions)

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This ubiquitous saying is another word that started among Black and Latin queer folks. However, most people don't understand what shade means. As the late great Dorian Corey said, "Shade is I don't tell you you're ugly but I don't have to tell you because you know you're ugly ... and that's shade." Learn it! (Photo: Academy Entertainment, Off White Productions)

Fierce! - Tyra Banks made this term her catch phrase, but thankfully, always credited the LGBT community for its roots. At the 2009 GLAAD Awards, she apologized for overusing the word fierce but there was no problem between her and her loyal fans. Important note: in the Black LGBT community, "Fierce!" is a negative term, so when someone says, "You look fierce!" it's actually saying, "You look horrible!"(Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images for CW)

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Tyra Banks made this term her catch phrase, but thankfully, always credited the LGBT community for its roots. At the 2009 GLAAD Awards, she apologized for overusing the word fierce but there was no problem between her and her loyal fans. Important note: in the Black LGBT community, "Fierce!" is a negative term, so when someone says, "You look fierce!" it's actually saying, "You look horrible!" (Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images for CW)

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Get Your Life - Tamar Braxton can constantly be heard saying this term, which has its roots in the Black gay clubs. A tribal house song called "Original Man" by DJ Oji screams the term, which basically means have a good time and do you. One might say if you are really feeling a dance move, "You betta get your life!"(Photo: Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)

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Tamar Braxton can constantly be heard saying "Get your life," but roots of term are in in the Black gay clubs. A tribal house song called "Original Man" by DJ Oji screams the term, which basically means have a good time and do you. If you are really feeling a dance move, you would say, "You better get your life! "(Photo: Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)

Lip-synching for Your Life - LL Cool J hosts a show called Lip Sync Battle, which started  on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon. RuPaul has been doing "lip-sync for your life" for years on RuPaul's Drag Race and drag queens have been lip-syncing at shows for decades. It is one of the major art forms of a drag show. Drag queens started this first!(Photo: Tyra Sanchez via Instagram)

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Lip Sync Battle, which started on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, aired for five seasons. However, drag queens have been synching for decades. RuPaul coined "lip-sync for your life" years ago on RuPaul's Drag Race. Lip-syncing one of the major art forms of a drag show. Drag queens started this first! (Photo: Tyra Sanchez via Instagram)

Leiomy

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You may have seen people on YouTube doing what they call a "death drop" -- but it's actually called a dip. They throw their leg in the air and fall to the floor to the beat. This is a dance move that has its roots in voguing, where it's considered one of the most dramatic and entertaining moves. Check vogue superstar Leiomy Maldonado performing the movie. (Photo: Leiomy Maldonado via Instagram)

Photo by @wond3rwoman1 via Instagram

Work - Whenever you say, "Work!" or any variation of the word, just know the term came from the LGBT community. It's a term to praise or encourage someone to be the best they can be. So you betta work!(Photo: Santiago Felipe/Getty Images)

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Whenever you say, "Work!" or any variation of the word, just know the term came from the LGBT community. It's a term to praise or encourage someone to be the best they can be. So you betta work! (Photo: Santiago Felipe/Getty Images)

Frankie Knuckles - Dubbed the "Godfather of House," Frankie Knuckles, 59, reportedly died from complications brought on by Type II diabetes on March 31. Born in 1959, the Grammy Award-winning pioneer launched his DJ career while spinning soul, disco and R&B music at popular clubs in New York City and later Chicago. Roots drummer Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson tweeted, "jesus man. Frankie Knuckles was so under-appreciated. he was the dj that dj's inspired to be. true dance pioneer."(Photo: Claire Greenway/Getty Images)

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While the origins of house music are often debated, no one can deny house was popularized in Black queer clubs. Frankie Knuckles, a Black gay man who is known as the Godfather of House, began as a DJ in 1977 at the famous Warehouse club in Chicago. He helped to create the genre, along with others notable DJs like Larry Levan and Ron Hardy. While house is getting a resurgence today, it got its legs in Black queer culture. Happy Pride! (Photo: Claire Greenway/Getty Images)