At 66 years young (I hate when people say that, so why did I?) The B-52's songstress Kate Pierson is finally releasing her first solo album. I have loved The B-52's, and specifically Kate, for as long as I can remember. My first experience was their amazing 1986 single Summer of Love, from Bouncing Off of Satellites, and I have been hooked ever since. Kate has been thinking about a solo record for years and now we get the pay off. Guitars and Microphones is energetic and lovely, full of Kate's one-of-a-kind harmonies and very personal. Three of the songs on the album are co-written by super-hitmaker Sia and she also co-executive produced by her as well. The result is luscious, fun and wonderfully wacky and addictive. Bring Your Arms, co-written by Sia, is a contemplative, emotional song about looking for support as we travel through life. Second single Mister Sister got a lot of (undeserved) controversy when Kate said she wanted it to be a "trans anthem", but Huffington Post added [gender] after trans, completely changing what Kate meant. She then was, of course, attacked by people who made assumptions about what she meant without researching Kate's history with the LGBT community . She responded in an open letter:
"I was just trying to use "trans" as this kind of umbrella term meaning anyone in the gender spectrum. It was definitely not about specifically a transwoman. It's really about a little boy who wants to play with his inner girl. He could be a future drag queen or a future transwoman, or it could be about a girl who feels betrayed by the mirror....The B-52s have spent our whole career fighting for rights of people who feel different or LGBT, the whole gay community, you know."
Anyway, that's not what this post is about. This post is about the incredible work that Kate has finally, in the sixth decade of her career, putting out for those of us who have been waiting all these years. The sensational ballads Crush Me With Your Love (the title of which Kate's partner Monica came up with) and Pulls You Under show a side of Kate we have never been able to see with The B-52's, and she doesn't disappoint with the adorably jaunty title track or the "we're all special" anthem Throw Down The Roses. I would say, without a doubt, Guitars and Microphones is well worth the wait. Check out Bring Your Arms and Mr. Sister below.
RuPaul is under attack, y'all. Ru and his amazing show, RuPaul's Drag Race, have recently been criticized by people from our own LGBT community for using supposed transphobic terminology. The words in question are "tranny" and "she-male". To be more precise, "she-MAIL" is used in a weekly segment that tells the queens what their challenge is going to be for the week. Anyone who doesn't see that this is a play on the word "e-mail" for use on a show about drag queens is a complete moron. I mean it. You need to lighten the fuck up, girl!!!! This is funny. Do you not think that drag queens get called "she-male" all the time? The other use of the word came in a segment called "Female or She-Male". While this could have been a little off-putting to some, the term was once again assigned to drag performers, not transgender women. The game required contestants to identify whether close up shots of body parts belonged to a female celebrity or a drag queen. I would say that is pretty harmless, and if anything, shows that drag queens don't mind one bit being identified as or with transgender women. Anyone who thinks that RuPaul is transphobic or doesn't support EVERYONE in the LGBT community obviously has not done their homework. Ru has been a positive force and a prominent face for ALL of us and we should thank her for her hard work and generosity. Once we start attacking our allies and those in our own community, we weaken ourselves. Do we think we have enough power now that we can turn on one another? We are not. The last thing we need is to start tearing one another apart when we know damn good and well that we support all our LGBT brothers and sisters. How about writing your politicians who still think we are less than? Are you as vigorously challenging them as you are RuPaul? Doubtful. Ru is our friend, brother, sister and mother. Now everybody say "LOVE".
Somehow, after six seasons of using the expression "You've Got She-Mail" on RuPaul's Drag Race, the trans community is up in arms about it. Out of nowhere. Logo decided to edit out the popular, tongue-in-cheek phrase from future shows, but RuPaul is having none of it. The Queen Mama was asked about the word "tranny", which she uses on the show as well, and which some in the trans community are bothered by, even though Ru has been a tireless supporter of ALL LGBT communities throughout her career, and this is what Ru had to say:
"No, it is not the transsexual community. These are fringe people who are looking for story lines to strengthen their identity as victims. That is what we’re dealing with. It’s not the trans community, because most people who are trans have been through hell and high water and they know -- they've looked behind the curtain at Oz and went, 'Oh, this is all a f**king joke. But, some people haven't... You know, if your idea of happiness has to do with someone else changing what they say, what they do, you are in for a f**king hard-ass road."
AAAAND what? Then Logo decided to get real cute and issue a statement of their own when asked about Ru's response to criticism:
"We are committed to supporting the entire LGBT community and will not feature any anti-trans rhetoric on our shows."
Well, Ru doesn't get cute, she gets drop dead gorgeous, so when she found out that reports were getting out that Logo was "distancing" itself from RuPual, Ru put out this GENIUS statement:
Trust, indeed! If anyone thinks RuPaul is transphobic, they are complete idiots. RuPaul has been a tireless defender and proud member of the LGBT community throughout her career and the fact that it took this "activists" SIX seasons to even notice that the phrase was a part of the show goes to show they have know idea who Ru is or what she stands for. I'll leave you with a little tidbit of wisdom from RuPaul herself:
Secretary of State Hilary Clinton released a statement to mark International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia on behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States.
"In every part of the world, men and women are persecuted and attacked because of who they are or whom they love. Homophobia, transphobia and the brutal hostility associated with them are often rooted in a lack of understanding of what it actually means to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT). So to combat this terrible scourge and break the cycle of fear and violence, we must work together to improve education and support those who stand up against laws that criminalize love and promote hate. As we mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia this May 17, let us resolve to redouble our efforts.
On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I am proud to reaffirm our support for LGBT communities at home and abroad, and to call for an end to discrimination and mistreatment of LGBT persons wherever it occurs. Whether by supporting LGBT advocates marching in Belgrade, leading the effort at the United Nations to affirm the human rights of LGBT persons, or condemning a vile law under consideration in Uganda, we are committed to our friends and allies in every region of the world who are fighting for equality and justice. These are not Western concepts; these are universal human rights.
Despite these gains and hard work, there is more to do to turn the tide of inequality and discrimination against the LGBT community. If you are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, know that the United States stands with you and we are unwavering in our commitment to ending this cycle of hate."
Strong, powerful words and I have nothing to add to that except thank you to Mrs. Clinton for your continued support of our cause.
