The fight for LGBT Equal Rights has created a large division amongst our society for years. Today, that division is continuing to grow smaller as more and more people have begun to support the once-suppressed community. The music community in particular has made huge strides forward in the fight for equality. Musicians all across the board: gay, straight, black, white, skinny, fat, have all begun to come together and join in the cause. Within the last year, the music community has made a noticeable change in its efforts to help the fight for LGBT equal rights. A large amount of that supportive community will be a surprise to most.
The indie-pop trio, Fun., is prominent among this pro-LGBTQ community. Although the band consists of three straight men, they are men who strongly advocate for LGBT rights and have outwardly voiced their opinions numerous times. Lead guitarist, Jack Antonoff, took it upon himself to write an extensive passage expressing his passion for LGBT rights in a blog for the Huffpost Gay Voices in February 2012. “Being part of a band of three, straight men, we felt there was an inherent power in the fact that we aren’t gay, and yet we still care and we have a voice—there’s a responsibility in that,” Antonoff said in an interview with The Washington Post. It was just last year that Fun.,during their meteoric rise to success, made their hopes of establishing their own not-for-profit marriage equality organization publicly known. As of October 2012, that organization became a reality. With the help of Antonoff’s sister, Fun. was able to create the Ally Coalition, an organization that will “raise awareness and funds to aid in the fight for LGBT equality,” according to Diffuser.fm. The Ally Coalition plans to raise awareness about the everyday struggles that the LGBT community has to go through, create LGBTQ education programs across the United States, and emphasize ally support through the use of social media. It has become apparent to most that social media has attained much control over our society, and Fun. wants to take advantage of it. The trio has recently teamed up with Revel and Riot in order to further their support for the cause, designing t-shirts that feature the text “It’s all Fun. and gay ‘til someone loses their rights. LGBTQ Equality Now.” The t-shirt is currently being sold for fifteen dollars, with all proceeds being donated to Revel and Riot for promotion of LGBT equality. In a recent YouTube video, Fun. said, “Our shows are a place for everyone.” I think that this musical trio has definitely made that statement clear.
Another musician who is also straight, but perhaps even more opinionated than Fun. is the rapper Macklemore. Macklemore and his producer, Ryan Lewis, have been allies of the LGBT community for years, and continue to condemn anti-gay language often used in today’s rap culture. In the summer of 2012, Macklemore released a single called “Same Love,” featuring Mary Lambert; the lyrics strongly promote gay marriage. According to The New York Times, “Same Love” was composed in March 2012 after the rapper had read an article about a bullied gay teen who committed suicide. The single made quite the impact on fans, and was able to peak at number eleven on the Billboard charts this year. He even earned himself a Moonman Award at the 2013 MTV Video Awards for “Best Video With a Social Message.” As he was accepting his award, Macklemore told the audience, “Gay rights are human rights, there is no separation.” As the relative of two gay uncles and a gay godfather, it is no surprise to see Macklemore supporting this worthy cause in a highly successful manner. Him and his producer have recently teamed up with the You Can Play campaign, working to eliminate homophobia in sports, music, and entertainment. “Don’t let being gay hold you back, and if you’re straight, do not hold others back…” said Macklemore in a YouTube video supporting the campaign. I think that this particular musician is a perfect example of someone who truly reflects his own ideas.
This last July 2013, Macklemore appeared on stage at the Osheaga Music Festival held in Montreal, Canada. Before beginning to perform his LGBT anthem “Same Love” he gave a speech about the ideals of equality and love. He commended Canada for being more advanced in terms of equality than the rest of the world, for leading the way on this journey. But, he said, “Until all of us, our whole world evolves, we are still enslaved by our prejudice and our own fears. No religion… no government… no person can tell you who you love in your heart. I believe in equality.” He then proceeded to an introduce two guest appearances who would later sing “Same Love’s” chorus, the indie-pop duo Tegan & Sara. In an interview afterwards, the sisters could not help but laugh as they discussed the importance of artistic freedom and being Macklemore’s “two little gay friends.” Tegan and Sara Quin are identical twins, both openly gay, who formed their own Canadian band about fourteen years ago. Back then, it was more about singers like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, who would steal the spotlight with their young sexuality. But today, Tegan & Sara have established themselves well in the music industry. Throughout their musical career, the two women have been asked numerous questions pertaining to their gay “characteristic.” In an interview with Metroweekly, Sara discussed her own experience with admitting her secret. As soon as she graduated from high school, “All of a sudden it was important to me to define that and use that language. And so I was the first one (of the sisters) to start saying, ‘I’m gay. I’m dating a woman.’” For over twelve years, these two women have set an example in the music industry of honesty, pride, and activism. Following Fun.’s example, Tegan & Sara have also released their own t-shirt design supporting Revel and Riot’s cause for equality. The design pictures both the girls’ faces and faces of numerous animals, with a statement that says, “Gay behavior is found in over 1500 species. LGBTQ Equality Now.”
Ever since her rise to fame back in 2008, Lady Gaga has graced us with not only her lively spirit, but also with her strong support for LGBT Equality. She is known for being unpredictable and unique when it comes to a number of things: her outfits, her concerts, and especially her sexuality. Gaga has been openly bisexual since the beginning of her rise to fame, and has been fiercely active in the fight for LGBT equality. Back in 2009, the artist spoke vehemently at the National Equality March in Washington, D.C., calling it “the single most important event” of her career. With her own Gay Rights anthem “Born This Way,” Gaga has done everything in her power to drill the word equality into the minds of her fans. Trevor Project, the leading national organization that provides help in the prevention of suicide and crisis relating to LGBT, presented Gaga with the Trevor Hero Award: an honor for her wonderful LGBT advocacy work. She has also launched, along with her Mother, the Born This Way Foundation in order to promote “Youth empowerment and equality by addressing issues like self-confidence, well-being, anti-bullying, mentoring, and career development.” Along with Fun., Lady Gaga plans to utilize social media as one of the key means of creating positive change.
It’s admirable to see the amount of support from both sides of the sexual spectrum that the LGBT community is now receiving today. Fun. and Macklemore are not the only straight-star alliances actively speaking for a community that has been suppressed for too long; other supporters include Beyoncé and Jay-Z, rapper Snoop Lion (formerly Snoop Dog), A$AP Rockey, Carrie Underwood (despite her Christian Beliefs), Cyndi Lauper, and Miley Cyrus, who even went as far as to get the word “equals” tattooed on her middle finger in support of same-sex marriage. The music community has vastly increased their numbers of those fighting for LGBT equality, and it’s time for the rest of the world to follow suit.
Jacki Guenther can be reached at jaclyn.guenther@spartans.ut.edu