Happy International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia
It's so hard to talk about the personal and political these days, as everything feels so much more difficult every day and the situation in the world continues to 'deteriorate'*. It takes me to such a dark place, and I'm not up for that right now.
*Can there possibly be a less adequate word?
I was tagged in a music sharing game, and since I love music and I love hearing about other people's musical interests, I think this is a great place to go with this post. I'm always seeking out queer music and queer voices, and I especially enjoy sharing and amplifying them.
I'll start out with a song that has a powerful message for today of all days. The situation for trans people continues to be horrific, and while many queer people are trying to distance themselves and remove the T from LGBTQ I think it's extremely important to take every opportunity to fight back by highlighting it and bringing it front and center.
Kae Tempest
I've shared a song from him previously on my blog. Absolutely love him and the power of his music and his story.
Gigi Perez
Her voice is otherworldly and gorgeous, full of depth, emotion, grit and power. She did an amazing cover of the iconic Green Day "Time of Your Life" recently for a brand collab that totally blew me away.
Jacob Alon
Scottish singer-songwriter Jacob Alon has a beautiful voice and style that's right up my alley. Their latest album In Limerance is packed full of gorgeous emotional melodies. This is excellent driving music. Skip the AC and roll the windows down.
Mykki Blanco
Two amazing artists in a beautiful collab - transfeminine rapper Mykki Blanco and the inimitable Jónsi.
Kim Harris
I fell in love with this song, and actually all of her music, last summer and it's still with me. She's on Bandcamp for anyone who wants to support or buy her music. A great Canadian artist.
Guilty listen: Morrissey - The Monsters of Pig Alley
OK, and as an extremely dubious 'guilty pleasure' bonus, I'll throw in this new track by Morrissey.
I used to be a completely over-the-top Morrissey stan, and his particular brand of unapologetic queer political emotional flamboyance had a big impact on my life at a formative time. I will always be grateful for that despite how things turned out with him. (In case you were unaware, the man has since jumped the shark, the whale and the aircraft carrier, and has become the most odious, hateful, unendurable self-important bigot.)
So, if like me you've been actively avoiding him, you might not be aware that he recently released a song* that is deeply reminiscent of his early solo work. Well worth a listen for those who lament how shitty of a human he turned out to be and wish that he could have gone in a different direction.
I heartily encourage you to pirate the shit out of this.
*And don't worry, it's not hateful. It's about following one's dreams despite your parents attempts to shut them down. Also I'll save you a bit of time and say it's the only good song he's released in decades.
Let's all celebrate each other amidst difficult times, while fighting hard to make the world a better place for everyone, everywhere. 🫂
Rather than tag anyone in this music sharing game and risk making anyone feel obligated or left out, I will encourage everyone to share their favorite queer artists either in a reblog, in a post of their own or in the comments of this post.
For information on how we can be a good ally for our trans friends, see this post.
For information on what we can do to support LGBTQ refugees around the world, see this post.
