This Friday at Studio and Fusion, we’ll be celebrating the LGBT+ icons who have shaped our pasts, who rock our present, and those who will continue to make waves in our futures. In a build up to Friday’s big event, we’ve put together some MWM for you from some of the most iconic queer performers!
5. Gossip – ‘Standing in the Way of Control’
Lead singer of dance-punk band Gossip, Beth Ditto, has taught queer women world-wide that you don’t need to dress for other people’s comfort and pleasure to be accepted. As a fat activist and hard femme, Ditto makes zero compromises with her image and gives zero fucks about what people think, which is why she will always be our queen!
4. Queen – ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’
Speaking of royalty, the antics of Queen’s Freddie Mercury rocked the gay scene for decades. Famously sneaking Princess Diana into The Royal Vauxhall Tavern in the late 80s, Mercury was as scandalous as he was inimitable a showman. From pop ballads to heavy metal, Queen’s music will forever rock the charts!
3. Against Me! – ‘True Trans Soul Rebel’
It would be hard to discuss musical icons of our time without mentioning founder and lead singer of Against Me!, Laura Jane Grace. Announcing publicly in Rolling Stone that she was transitioning in 2012, Grace has dealt with a lot since beginning her transition. Despite being dropped by her label and half of her band quitting on her after coming out, Grace has since become rock music’s much-needed trans role model and is becoming more successful than ever.
2. Lady Gaga ‘Born this Way’
Bisexual pop icon and queer activist Lady Gaga has had the LGBT+ club scene jumping for years and, fortunately for us, it doesn’t seem that she will be stopping any time soon. Although she’s had countless dance hits, Born this Way is an anthemic anthem that always has us running proudly to the dance floor.
1. George Michael – ‘Faith’
2016 was a tough year. The death of pop star George Michael (and many other icons besides him, RIP David Bowie) meant the world lost a cultural pioneer who broke musical and social boundaries throughout his career. Producing some of the most well-known pop songs, we celebrate Michael and everything he meant for gay music and culture.
Image: Wikimedia