
LGBTQ INFORMATION NETWORK │ RAINBOW OF RESOURCES
MUSIC
Billboard: Top LGBTQ Songs
of 2020
I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend
by Girl in Red
Country Music Star TJ
Osbourne Comes Out as Gay
The Revolutionaries Behind
the Black LGBTQ Hip-Hop Movement
Americans by Janelle Monae
Brandi Carlile and Alicia Keys: Beautiful
Noise
Indigo Girls: Go (March for Our Lives)
Billy Porter and Stephen
Stills Perform at Dem National Convention
March March: Protest Song by The Chicks
Brandon Stansell: Fighting to Live Truthfully as a Gay
Country Music Singer

Queer Music History 101
Kahlani: Queer Musician
and Mom
New Queer Musicians Who
Are Making Their Mark
Chely Wright's Return to the Grand Ole Opry
Sylvester Documentary:
Life of Queer Black Disco Legend
Ricky Martin: Super Happy
About Decision to Come Out
Trey Pearson's New Album:
Tribute to Larry Kramer's Legacy
Rolling Stone: Little Richard, Rock n
Roll Icon, Dies at 87
Advocate: Emerging Queer Artists
Who Are Giving Us Life
HRC: 2020 Pride Benefit
Concert
Kim Petras Performs Icy at Streamy Awards
Pink Accepts MTV Vanguard
Award 2017
Next Generation of Queer Pop Music
Lady Gaga Performs Elton John's Your Song
Billboard: Top 50 Gay Anthems
Interview: Mary Lambert
LGBTQ Music and Musicians
LGBTQ
music is more than just disco dance music for shirtless
men and brooding folk music for feminist women. Gay
rappers, gay rockers, gay country singers, and gay hip hop
stars are on the rise. Most notably, we are hearing gay
love songs, without disguise or apology. Transgender performers are also
going public. Previous decades of music that
included groundbreaking pioneers like David Bowie, the
Village People, George Michael, Joan Jett, Boy George, Elton John,
and Freddie Mercury have given way to today's young,
openly gay musicians like Mary Lambert, Le1f, Troye Sivan,
Brandie Carlisle, Adam
Lambert, Sam Smith, and Olly
Alexander (Years and Years).
LGBTQ
(Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer) music
is music focusing on LGBTQ issues performed by LGBTQ
artists and performers. The lyrics are largely about
empowerment, same-sex relationships, love, acceptance,
freedom, gay pride and the courage to come out to the
general public. Starting in the 2010s, it became more
popular among American performers, as when openly-gay artist Adam
Lambert (from American Idol) topped the 2012 Billboard 200 chart.

Watermelon Sugar by Harry
Styles
Country Radio by the Indigo Girls
I Am Her by Shea Diamond
Dear Boys by FELIN
Constant Craving by KD Lang
Believe (Tribute to Cher) by Adam Lambert
Happy Together by Mark Ronson and King Princess
Colours by MNEK and Hailee Steinfeld
Honey by Kehlani
Some Call it Magic by
Raven-Symone
She by Hayley Kiyoko
These Are the Days of Our Lives by Freddie Mercury
Bloom by Troye Sivan
Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper
People Like Us by Kelly Clarkson
Bad Guy by Billie Eilish
Hallelujah by Panic! at the Disco
I
Really Like You by Carly Rae Jepson
Brave by Sara Bareilles
Official Coming Out Song by Ally Hills
Seasonal Depression by Mary Lambert
While popular music has always included LGBTQ artists,
the increasing social tolerance of the late 20th and
early 21st century allowed such artists to come out
publicly. Early examples of this arose with the sexual
liberation movement, with artists such as Elton John,
Village People, Sylvester, Tom Robinson, Indigo Girls,
KD Lang, Melissa Etheridge, Queen, David Bowie, Little Richard,
Billy Preston, and Marc
Almond (Soft Cell), among others.
In the 1980's, the exposure of
openly LGBTQ artists became richer, with artists such as
Boy George (Culture Club), George Michael (Wham), Frankie Goes to Hollywood,
Michael Stipe (REM), Neil Tennant (Pet Shop Boys), Dead or Alive,
Adam Bell (Erasure), and the B52s. We also begin
to see artists who are openly LGBTQ allies, such as Cher, Cyndi
Lauper, Madonna, Sarah McLaughlin, Kylie Minogue, Donna Summer, Jessica
Lowndes and Gloria Gaynor, among many others.
It Gets Better by Broadway Stars
I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend
by Girl in Red
Beautiful Noise by Brandi Carlile and
Alicia Keys
Modern Love by Matt Nathanson
Indigo Girls - Go (Live at the Filmore)
True Colors by Cyndi Lauper
I
Was Born to Love You by Freddie Mercury
Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko
If
She Ever Leaves Me by The Highwomen
Talia by King Princess
Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Heart to Break by Kim Petras
YMCA by Boy George
The One I Love by Ellen
Krauss
Dirty Computer by Janelle Monae
American Pie by Shea
Diamond
Neon Cross by Jamie Wyatt
Help Me Now by Kevin
McHale
Freedom by Kameron Michaels
Same Love by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Burning by Sam Smith
Not a Phase by Jessie Paege (w Lucy and La Mer)
Fix You by Sam Smith
The 1990s
saw a start of a fair introduction to pro-LGBTQ laws,
and artists condemning homophobia in their music. Groups
such as Placebo, Alcazar, Right Said Fred, and more
joined the ranks of allies and LGBTQ musicians.
The 1990s also introduced Ani DeFranco, Sia, Rufus Wainwright,
Ray Boltz, Two Nice Girls (Gretchen Phillips), Skin
(Skunk Anansie), Sophie B Hawkins, Stephin
Merritt (The Magnetic Fields), Kaia Wilson, Carrie
Brownstein, and Rostam
Batmanglij (Vampire Weekend).
The 2000s saw LGBTQ music branch off into its own genre
in some cases, and new artists like Will Young, The Scissor Sisters, The
Gossip, Jay Brennan, RuPaul, Jeffree Star, Blood on the Dance Floor
(duo), Lady Gaga, Patrick Wolf, Mika, Dario, Brandi Carlile, Adam Lambert,
Sam Sparrow, Billy Gilman, tATu,
Kent James, Dawnstar, and Troye Sivan. We also heard
LGBTQ-friendly music from such allies as Katy Perry and
Christina Aguilera.

Stranger in This World by Boy George
You Need to Calm Down by Taylor Swift
Love Myself by Hailee Steinfeld
Coming Out by Jessie Paege
Beat For the Gods by
Laverne Cox
Make You Happy by Mika
Hands of Love (Freeheld) by Miley Cyrus
Afterlife by Ingrid Michaelson
Neverland by Korean Pop Star Holland
That's My Man by Miss Benny
Rocket Man by Elton John (London 1972)
On
Your Side by The Veronicas
Feelings by Hayley Kiyoko
Wishing Well by Jamie Wyatt
Somebody to Love by Queen
Playboy School of Pop by King Princess
You Can Sleep by KD Lang and Melissa Etheridge
1950 by King Princess
In the 2010s, openly-gay artists such as
Sam Smith, Azealia Banks, Mary Lambert, Matt Morris,
Frank Ocean, Tegan & Sara, Todrick Hall, Troye Sivan, and rapper Le1f
(Khalif
Diouf) gained popularity.
Well-established country music singer Chely Wright came
out as gay in 2010. Another country singer, Ty Herndon, came out
as gay in 2014, after three number one hits on Billboard
Hot Country Songs. Currently, the country music genre
also includes Cameron
Hawthorn, Brandon
Stansell, and Lil Nas X. 2012 also saw Laura Jane Grace (lead
singer of the punk band Against Me!) come out as
transgender. We also see the rise of many LGBTQ allies
in the music world: Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Jennifer
Lopez, Matt Nathanson, Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson,
Macklemore, Pink, and Dan Reynolds.
Current
popular LGBTQ musicians include Angel Haze, Shamir, Who
is Fancy, Perfume Genius, Double Duchess, Lowell, Devouring Mothers, Kindness, Joshua Thomas, Years & Years,
Hurray for Riff Raff, Panic! At The Disco, Miss Bunny, Hayley Kiyoko,
Kim Petras, Alyson Stoner, Boytoy, Kehlani, Sizzy Rocket,
King Princess, and Janelle Monae.

Killer Queen by Queen
Your Song by Elton John
Scarecrow by Melissa Etheridge
Burn the Floor by Drake Jensen
Symmetry of Two Hearts by
Bight Light Bright Light
Born This Way by Lady Gaga
Girl in the Kinks Shirt by Matt Nathanson
Dancing in the Living Room by Cameron Hawthorn
Explosion by Zolita
Heartbeat by Jennifer
Corday
Stay With Me by Sam Smith
Make Me Feel by Janelle Monae
Don't Shoot by Shea
Diamond
Holy by King Princess
Finally by Matt Fishel
Love Myself by Hailee Steinfeld
Strangers by Halsey and Lauren Jauregui
Wendy Carlos: Switched On
Bach

LGBTQ Music News
Time Out: 50 Best Songs to Celebrate Gay Pride
New Queer Musicians Who
Are Making Their Mark
Billie Eilish: CBS Sunday
Morning Interview
Pride: 20 Gay Pride
Anthems
Rufus Wainwright's Career
Has Never Followed the Rules
Billboard: Queering Mainstream Music
Huff Post: 27 Important LGBTQ Songs
Hayley Kiyoko: Queer Pop Star We've Been Waiting For
Buzz Feed: 36 Gay Love Songs
Watch Mojo: Top Ten LGBTQ Anthems
Rolling Stone: Essential LGBTQ Pride Songs
Interview: Troye Sivan
I
Got You Babe by Cyndi Lauper and Adam Lambert
Pride: 10 Best LGBTQ Music Videos
Watch Mojo: Top Ten LGBTQ Anthems
Interview: KD Lang
Backstory: YMCA by Village
People
Trans Documentary: The Kim
Petras Story
Video List: LGBTQ Music
Artists
LGBTQ Pride Anthems
Next Generation of Queer Pop Music
Interview: Mary Lambert
Ricky Martin: Lip Syncing
Old Time Rock & Roll and Footloose
Boy
George and Culture Club: Career Overview
Pivotal
LGBTQ Moments in Music
Equality
for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people
is today's defining civil rights issue, but the music
world has always played a significant role in LGBTQ
progress. Consider musical moments that have been
pivotal in advancing LGBTQ understanding, acceptance and
rights.
1976 - Tom
Robinson is "Glad to Be Gay." The British songwriter
penned the tune "Glad to Be Gay" for a London gay pride
rally. Inspired by the in-your-face posturing of punk
bands like The Sex Pistols, the song's lyrics were bold
and brave, especially considering the climate towards
homosexuals at the time. Some 40 years later, the song
still serves as Britain's national gay anthem.
1978 -
Sylvester dons a dress. Long before RuPaul sashayed onto
the Billboard charts in the early '90s, drag diva
Sylvester was paving the way for queens everywhere with
his high-energy club tracks. Best known for his anthem
"You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)," Sylvester James found
his calling and adopted his one-name moniker after
moving to San Francisco to pursue music just a couple of
years before New York's Stonewall riot launched the
national gay liberation movement.

For Your Entertainment by Adam Lambert
Kiss by Prince
Expectations by Lauren Jauregui
Louder by Big Freedia
All Me/Change Your Life by Kehlani
Wild by Troye Sivan and Alessia Cara
Rendezvous by Miss Benny
Breath and Sound by Tom Goss
Victoria Sole by Te Amo
Like Me by Chely Wright
So
Small by Ty Herndon
Aftermath by Adam Lambert
Giving Back the Best of Me by Jamie Wyatt
I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend
by Girl in Red
1984 -
Synth-Pop gets political. Bronski Beat wasn't the only
LGBTQ-friendly synth-pop group of the '80s. But back
when bands like Pet Shop Boys and Erasure were only
making veiled references to their sexualities, falsetto
vocalist Jimmy Sommerville and company were adorning
their album covers with pink triangles and writing
political, gay-empowering club tunes that left no room
for misinterpretation. "Smalltown Boy" was the trio's
most celebrated hit, and the song's video was one of the
first of any genre to address the issue of violence
against gays.
1990 -
Madonna makes the Vogue pose mainstream. Madonna had
already established herself as an advocate for LGBTQ
rights and causes in the '80s, but she took her
gay-positive message to a different level when she
introduced mainstream America to the Vogue flamboyant
style of dance, reminiscent of the underground drag ball
scene. "Vogue" soared to No. 1 on the Billboard charts
and came with a striking black-and-white video that
taught the world how to strike a pose.
1991 -
Stars pay tribute to Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. The
flamboyant performer openly had relationships with both
men and women during the band's popularity. Mercury
revealed to the world that he had contracted HIV, and
became the first major rock star to die of AIDS. The
remaining members of Queen staged The Freddie Mercury
Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness to celebrate the life
and legacy of Mercury and raise money for AIDS research.
The concert, which featured performances by Robert
Plant, Roger Daltrey, Elton John, Metallica, David
Bowie, Guns N' Roses and U2 among others, was broadcast
live to 76 countries, and had an estimated viewing
audience of 1 billion people.
1993 -
Countrified pop chanteuse KD Lang graced the cover of
Vanity Fair magazine in a barber chair being amorously
shaved by model Cindy Crawford.
I
Love You's by Hailee Steinfeld
Your Song by Lady Gaga
All I Do is Cry by Kim Petras
Love Shack by B 52s
I Believe by Bright Light
Bright Light
Karma Chameleon by Culture Club
Strangers by Halsey and Lauren Jauregui
True Colors by LA Gay Men's Chorus
Galileo by Indigo Girls
Radio Gaga by Queen (Live Aid Concert 1985)
Misery and Gin by Jamie Wyatt
Raising Hell by Kesha and Big Freedia
1993 -
Melissa Etheridge says "Yes I Am." While out rocker
Melissa Etheridge had experienced much success in the
late '80s and early '90s, it wasn't until her "Yes I Am"
album that she made headlines. The album (whose title
served as an answer to questions about her sexuality)
spent 138 weeks on the Billboard chart and has sold 4.4
million copies in the US.
1995 -
Jill Sobule kisses a girl. Long before Katy Perry
catered to male fantasies by singing "I kissed a girl
and I liked it," singer-songwriter Jill Sobule made the
same declaration in earnest. Her song "I Kissed a Girl"
became a hit. Its overt declaration of lesbianism struck
a chord as a character-driven narrative, giving voice to
sexual exploration in a way rarely touched in pop.
1998 - Rob
Halford makes metal history.
Grammy-winning
Judas
Priest frontman Rob Halford came out during an MTV
interview. "I've been a gay man all of my life. It's
only been in recent times that it's been an issue that
I've been comfortable to address."
2005 -
Elton John and David Furnish tie the knot. In the '70s,
Elton John was famously slippery about his sexual
orientation. But the singer set aside all ambiguities
when he celebrated England's recognition of same-sex
civil partnerships and wed his longtime partner,
filmmaker David Furnish. Five years later, John and
Furnish adopted a baby boy, Zachary, who was born to a
surrogate. And later, the couple welcomed Elijah.
2006 -
Lance Bass may not have emerged from the closet during *NSYNC's
boy-band reign , but the singer's later revelation was
still nothing less than bold. In a People magazine cover
story, Bass declared that he's "not ashamed" of his
sexuality." Following his coming out, Bass was awarded
the Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award.

Bad Guy (Live Acoustic) by
Billie Eilish
Blame It On the Girls by Mika
Sleepover by Hayley Kiyoko
Sparks Fly by Taylor Swift
Come to My Window by Melissa Etheridge
Manic Monday by Prince
Lousy & In In In by Zebra Katz
When She Loved Me by Sarah McLachlan
Curious by Hayley Kiyoko
Closer to Fine by Indigo Girls
I'm Coming Out by Diana Ross
2007 -
Enrique Iglesias literally embraces his fans. He proved
that his appreciation for his fans is not specific to
gender or sexual orientation in a performance at
London's G-A-Y nightclub. During the show, Iglesias
brought a male fan on stage and serenaded him with his
ballad "Hero." Iglesias confidently hugged and kissed
the swooning fan.
2007 - Rufus Wainwright, Friend of Dorothy. The campy
magic of Judy Garland was summoned by singer Rufus
Wainwright, who paid homage to the gay icon by
recreating the her stage shows from the 60s. Wainwright
took the act to Britain's Glastonbury festival, where he
donned lipstick and heels for a performance that
declared his sexuality.

2007 - Christian Chavez fights for "Libertad." He came
out of the closet while he was a member of wildly
popular Mexican teen pop group RBD. Four years
later, in the provocative video for "Libertad," the
Latin-pop singer uses a sexy narrative about two gay
lovers who meet in a club to make a stance for gay
rights and sexual freedom. Spliced between flashing
images of Harvey Milk, RuPaul, Martin Luther King Jr and
others, Chavez and his boyfriend passionately kiss.
2009 -
Lady Gaga fights for gay rights. With her equality
anthem "Born This Way", nearly everything she says, does
and wears, Lady Gaga has proven herself to be this era's
gay-friendliest pop star. First came her rallying cry at
the National Equality March on Washington. Then the 2010
MTV awards followed, where US service members affected
by the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy accompanied her on
the red carpet. Later, she appealed to her millions of
her social media followers to ask the New York State
Senator to vote yes for the Marriage Equality Act.
2009 - Adam Lambert glams up American Idol and debuts at
No. 1. While Adam Lambert didn't make his sexuality a
major talking point while competing on American Idol, he
later came out in a Rolling Stone cover story. Though he
finished the 2009 season of American Idol in second
place, he remained the season's breakout star and has
since worked to become a role model for LGBTQ teens.
2010 - Ricky Martin reveals all in his autobiography,
Me. From Menudo sweetheart to Latin explosion
leader, Ricky Martin has spent much of his career
dodging relentless scrutiny over his sexuality. Martin
finally put the rumors to rest and declared himself a
"fortunate homosexual man." Martin is the proud dad of
twin boys, born to a surrogate.

2010 -
Television series Glee features gay teens on
primetime. After first being introduced to Kurt Hummel
(played by Chris Colfer), the Fox show tackled gay
issues big and small, bringing LGBTQ storylines to the
forefront. Then Kurt met Blaine Anderson (Darren Criss).
Blaine serenaded Kurt with Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream,"
and the Glee cast earned its best single sales
week for a download with the song's release. Meanwhile,
Brittany (Heather Morris) and Santana (Naya Rivera) were
struggling with their sexuality, and the two expressed
their feelings through a duet of Fleetwood Mac's
"Landslide."
2010 -
Country music star Chely Wright comes out and makes big
headlines in Nashville. Before publicly announcing her
sexuality, Wright had already established herself as a
best-selling, award-winning country music singer and
songwriter. Her story is told in Wish Me Away, a
documentary about her coming out experience.
She married Lauren Blitzer in 2011. In 2013, she and
Blitzer welcomed twins George Samuel and Everett Joseph.
2012 - Odd
Future member and R&B artist Frank Ocean published an
intimate social media post explaining that his first
love was a man. The declaration was initially meant to
be included in the liner notes to his debut major-label
album, Channel Orange, which came out a week
later. Prior to this moment, Ocean had recorded several
love songs that included the "he" pronoun.
2012 -
Tommy
Gabel of the band
Against
Me! comes out as transgender. After living for 31 years
as a man, as singer/guitarist for Florida punk band, he
announced he would be transitioning to life as a woman
named Laura Jane Grace.
2012 - After Barack Obama publicly endorsed same-sex
marriage, rapper Jay Z voiced his own support. "It's no
different than discriminating against blacks. It's
discrimination, plain and simple," he said. Other stars,
from Lady Gaga to Alicia Keys, also backed the
president's words.

2012 - The
world's biggest Latin touring act, Mana, made a strong
statement in
support of
marriage equality.
The
Mexican rock band's lead singer, Fher Olvera, joined a
chorus of other like-minded musicians and backed gay
couples on the band's social media platform. "Full
recognition for same-sex couples is not just a question
of equality, it is also a matter of justice," the singer
wrote. "In a chaotic world where there is still too much
hatred, all expressions of love are important. Because
the only sin is the absence of love."
2014 -
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis serenaded 33 gay and straight
weddings at the Grammy Awards show with Same Love.
The ceremony was officiated by Queen Latifah. The
all-star performance also included Madonna singing "Open
Your Heart" and vocalist Mary Lambert.
2014 - Conchita Wurst wins Eurovision. The 25
year old Austrian bearded drag queen
won the
singing contest with her ballad "Rise Like a Phoenix."
LGBTQ Music News
Queer Music History 101
Little Mix: Support for
the LGBTQ Community
New Queer Musicians Who
Are Making Their Mark
Chely Wright's Return to the Grand Ole Opry
Entertainment Weekly:
LGBTQ Pride Forever Issue
Rolling Stone: Little Richard, Rock n
Roll Icon, Dies at 87
Advocate: Emerging Queer Artists
Who Are Giving Us Life
Paper: Game-Changing LGBTQ Musicians
Kim Petras Performs Icy at Streamy Awards
Wikipedia: LGBTQ Singers
Elton John and James Corden: Carpool Karaoke
Big Time LGBTQ
Musicians
Halsey and Lauren Jaruegui on Today Show
LGBTQ Anthem: Lady Gaga's Born This Way
KD
Lang, Loretta Lynn, Brenda Lee, Kitty Wells
Interview: Troye Sivan
Top Gay Male Musicians
Billboard: Pivotal LGBTQ
Moments in Music

Lauren Jauregui Takes
LGBTQ Pop Music Quiz
Next Generation of Queer Pop Music
Lady Gaga Performs Elton John's Your Song
Billboard: Top 50 Gay Anthems
I
Got You Babe by Cyndi Lauper and Adam Lambert
Interview: Mary Lambert
Time Out: 50 Best Songs to Celebrate Gay Pride
Billie Eilish: CBS Sunday
Morning Interview
Pride: 20 Gay Pride
Anthems
Huff Post: 27 Important LGBTQ Songs
Hayley Kiyoko: Queer Pop Star We've Been Waiting For
Buzz Feed: 36 Gay Love Songs
Rolling Stone: Essential LGBTQ Pride Songs
LGBTQ Pride Anthems
Out: Gay Music

Pride: 10 Best LGBTQ Music Videos
Video List: LGBTQ Music
Artists
Pink News: Popular LGBTQ Singers
Billboard: Queering Mainstream Music
Billie Eilish: On the
Jimmy Kimmel Show
Most Important Queer Women in Music
Pride: Gay
Music
The Village People: Career Overview
Jamie Wyatt: Queer Queen
of Outlaw Country
Beauty and the Beast Parody Song: Todrick Hall
B52s Update: 30 Years After Love Shack
Queerness: 20 Queer Songs You Should Know
Interview: KD Lang
Lauren Jauiregui: Social Media, Her Music, Coming
Out
Lesbian Love Songs: Women Singing About Women
Matt Fishel: Radio Friendly Pop Song
Tutti Frutti: Little
Richard Performs at Rock n Roll Hall of Fame
Emerging
LGBTQ Musicians
From jazz
and blues to pop and folk, these young LGBTQ artists are
breaking ground across an ever-changing landscape.
Chaz Cardigan - An alt-rocker for a new, angsty
generation, Chaz Cardigan is making space for himself in
a genre in which LGBTQ musicians aren’t often seen.
Cardigan recently released the video for “Not OK!” It is
a brash anthem for people struggling to get their shit
together. With all of his quirks and color, Cardigan
recognizes the privilege he has to make music without
his sexuality being the focus.
"I’m allowed to say that I’m queer, and no one really
bats an eyelash,” he says. “I’m allowed, actually, to
just exist as a person and not even have to make my
sexuality a focus in my art. I can just make art.” LGBTQ
artists have come far in recent years, and audiences
recognize that who you love is only a part of our
stories, of who we are as humans. For Cardigan, it’s
humbling: “Sometimes I actually forget that that single
adjective [queer] would have destroyed any chance of
someone’s career, like, 15 years ago. My friends and the
people I work with are all sort of immune to it, and
it’s really liberating."
Wafia - Now and then, a song comes on that feels like a
gentle breeze on a sunny day and you can’t help but
smile and drink it in. Luckily for Wafia, you get that
feeling listening to every track in her discography.
Whether she’s warning herself not to self-sabotage a
romance over the Caribbean-infused EDM track “Better
Not” or getting high on edibles in “Flowers and
Superpowers,” there’s something easy and infectious
about Wafia’s synth-pop. In just a few years, she’s
racked up hundreds of millions of streams with her
syrupy songs steeped in honesty. With her popularity and
profile climbing, she’s proud to be an openly queer
Muslim woman in the pop music sphere. Her debut album is
expected later this year. “It’s definitely a privilege
to be able to represent in my small way in this space
that I don’t take lightly,” she says. “There weren’t a
lot of people I could look up to that I felt I could
identify with. Visibility is important and I’m so glad
that times are changing.”

Jakk Fynn - Jakk Fynn is ready to “Heal,” and hopes his
music can do the same for you. Following a break up, the
Latinx pop-punk artist had to reassess who he was alone
as well as come to terms with his transmasculine
identity. His journey inspired his art and mission to
empower LGBTQ people with music. "Throughout my musical
journey I’ve met a lot of obstacles: opposition from my
family, pressures from labels, the idea that I had to
present myself in any way other than who I actually am,”
he told The Advocate in March. “These things never
stopped me though; they just pushed me harder to find
new ways to fight for my vision 100% on my terms.
Actively moving in opposition to what the world wants
from you is a difficult path, so I think it’s important
to celebrate those that do.” Maybe those are the steps
to heal not only yourself, but the world.
Amythyst Kiah - Amythyst Kiah has a voice that stops you
in your tracks and commands you to really listen. The
hypnotizing blues and roots singer recently snagged a
Grammy nomination for her defiant self-love anthem
“Black Myself” with Our Native Daughters, which won Song
of the Year at the International Folk Music Awards. Kiah
has also been named “one of roots music’s most exciting
emerging talents” by Rolling Stone. While American folk
music originated with Black people, it isn’t an easy
genre for any Black woman to be successful in — let
alone a queer one. But Kiah is unapologetic about who
she is. “It took me years before I felt comfortable
living my truth,” she says, thanking her parents who
loved and supported her. "I think of every piece of
queer art I got my hands on when I was younger just to
see my truth reflected back at me, and I only hope I can
be that for someone else,” Kiah says. “We should always
remember the ones who are still in the closet, for they
are still finding their truth the safest way possible.
Here’s to hoping with all of our perseverance that more
and more people will be able to feel safe enough to live
their truth without fear.”

Tom Goss - Music can be intimately personal. There are
few who know that better than Tom Goss. On “Quebec,” a
single off his latest album, Territories, Goss reveals
to his husband that he’s fallen in love with another
man. This is only after his husband revealed his own
infidelity, which led to the pair opening their
marriage. The album explores this experience, with
Goss’s heartfelt voice as the narrator, in a way that is
uniquely queer. "As queer people, we are used to having
a perspective that the rest of the world has a hard time understanding,” Goss says when asked why his work is so
personal. “It’s not always easy, but I consider my
queerness a gift. If I were straight, I would have
assimilated decades ago. My ideas would have been washed
into the ideas of society. My queerness and my differentness
in society has helped me be resilient in my authenticity,
openness, and personal truth.”
Quentin Arispe - Quentin Arispe has been singing all
their life. As they put it, "I can’t remember a time in
my life that singing wasn’t a part of. The funny thing
is that both of my parents aren’t vocalists or artists.
I’m super grateful, though, that they were so supportive
of my musical endeavors, and if it wasn’t for them I
wouldn’t have gotten this far." And Arispe is truly an
artist worth listening to. With inspirations that
include Alabama Shakes, Amy Winehouse, Aretha Franklin,
and Beyoncé (they also share a hometown
with the diva), Arispe has the skill to create tracks
that turn into earworms like “No You Hang Up” as well as
the more chest-baring fare, “I’m That Bitch,” both off
of their latest EP, Fruit. The project is about
"knowing that you can be absolutely anything," Arispe says.
“That constructs are social and nothing can truly limit the
human experience. That it’s OK to be mad and it’s OK to be
loud and a bitch. That polarity and duality is godly."

Teraj - Teraj’s voice was a secret well into his teens.
Hailing from Miami, the artist was surrounded by the
sounds of Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross, and Michael
Jackson in his childhood home, but he would never let
anyone hear his own abilities — until he did. Now he’s
embraced singing as a full-time career and is releasing
a four-pack of music videos alongside his album Defy,
that he wrote and produced. "The overall
message behind the album Defy is to inspire and
encourage others to overcome the odds, courageously
chase one’s dreams, and live boldly in one’s truth,” Teraj says. “I wanted to craft songs that share my
personal stories of growing up in an underprivileged
community with countless adverse circumstances and that
with drive, hard work, and perseverance, I overcame
that.”
Banoffee - Fans may have first come in touch with
Banoffee through her work with Charli XCX while touring
with Taylor Swift — and it was largely through that tour
that the singer raked enough cash to finance her own
debut, Look at Us Now Dad. The impressive album
contains a feature from CupkKaKe, and a
track done in collaboration with Sophie. The music she creates
(which establishes her as a part of a new generation of
musicians who are bringing “a sense of fun and sass that
is unrestricted by gender and traditional values” to the
pop genre) is certainly a central part of who she is.
As is speaking out about inequality and oppression and
how those forces affect more than the people who sit at
her intersections as a queer woman of color.“ The
support of the LGBTQ community has been beyond crucial
in my career,” says Banoffee. “Finally, I feel seen. I
feel welcomed without judgment and I feel like I’m a
part of a movement that is progressing through kindness,
not abrasion. I am honored to be a part of this
community.”
[Source: Mikelle Street & Taylor Henderson, Advocate
Magazine, April 2020]
Advocate: Emerging Queer Artists
Who Are Giving Us Life
New Queer Musicians Who
Are Making Their Mark
Paper: Game-Changing LGBTQ Musicians
Pink News: Popular LGBTQ Singers
Billboard: Queering Mainstream Music
Next Generation of Queer Pop Music
LGBTQ Topic Songs
Imagine by Lady Gaga at HRC National Dinner
Different Kind of Love Song
It's a Beautiful Day by Freddie Mercury & Queen
Born This Way by Lady Gaga
on SNL
Celebrate by Mika
What Doesn’t Kill You
Makes You Stronger by Kelly Clarkson
You Belong With Me by
Taylor Swift
Lollipop by Mika
It Gets Better by Todrick Hall
I
Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor
Single White Female by
Chely Wright
Who Wants to Live Forever by Freddie Mercury & Queen
Jenny and Jill by Brett Dennen
Better This Way by Doug Strahm
Vroom Vroom Vroom by
Jennifer Corday
Boys by Charli XCX

I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend
by Girl in Red
Younger by Kevin McHale
Some Other Summer by Roxette
Love of My Life by Freddie Mercury & Queen
Chasing Rainbows by Big Freedia and Kesha
Secrets by Mary Lambert
Time by Steve Grand
This Was My House by
Bright Light Bright Light
Don't Wait by Joey Graceffo
She Keeps Me Warm by Mary Lambert
Just Dance by Lady Gaga
You Need to Calm Down by Taylor Swift
Really Don't Care by Demi Lovato
Pynk by Janelle Monae
The Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga
Like Me by
Chely Wright
YMCA by Village People
Love Today by Mika
What I Need by Kayley
Kiyoko and Kehlani
Philadelphia by Tori Amos
Born This Way by Lady Gaga
on Grammys
Son of a Preacher Man by
Tom Goss

Nobody by Jade Novah and Cynthia Erivo
We
Are Golden by Mika
I
Just Want to Be OK by Ingrid Michaelson
Love is Love by Starley
Him (Lyrics) by Sam Smith
I Like That by Janelle Monae
You're a Firework by Katy Perry
Dare to Love by Sean Chapin
Man I Feel Like a Woman by Shania Twain
I Kissed a Girl by Katy Perry
All American Boy by Steve Grand
The Great Pretender by Freddie Mercury
Have You Ever by Brandi Carlile
I Am What I Am by Karen Mulder
Never Love You Enough by Chely Wright
Your Song by Elton John
I'm Coming Out by Diana Ross

This is Me from Greatest Showman
I Have a
Voice by Broadway Kids Against Bullying
Kiss Like a Woman
I Used to Be Cool by
Bright Light Bright Light
New Eyes by Adam Lambert
We Kiss in a Shadow
Me by Taylor Swift and Brendon Urie
Lover by Tom Goss
This is My Fight Song by Rachel Platten
Believe by Cher
Greatest Showman: This is Me
Love Sweet
Love by Broadway for Orlando
Don't Give Up by Maggie Szabo
Til it Happens to You by Lady Gaga
Dancing in the Living Room by Cameron Hawthorn
Stay With Me by Sam Smith
Make Me Feel by Janelle Monae
Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels by Todrick Hall
LGBTQ Anthem: I
Was Born This Way
LGBTQ Anthem: Lady Gaga's Born This Way (NPR Report
2019)
I Was Born This Way by Lady Gaga (2011)
I
Was Born This Way by Rev Carl Bean (1977)
I Was Born This Way by
Valentino (1972)
I Was Born This Way by Lady Gaga
on SNL
I Was Born This Way by Lady Gaga
on Grammys

Queering Country
Music
Ty
Herndon: What Mattered Most (Alternative Version)
Ty
Herndon: What Mattered Most (Original Version)
All American Boy by Steve Grand
Time by Steve Grand
Heartbeat by Jennifer
Corday
Dancing in the Living Room by Cameron Hawthorn
So
Small by Ty Herndon
Slow Down by Brandon Stansell and Ty Herndon
Hometown by Brandon Stansell
Son of a Preacher Man by
Tom Goss
Neon Cross by Jamie Wyatt
Better This Way by Doug Strahm
Old Town Road by Lil Nas X
Karman Kregloe: Queer
Country Rocker
Chely Wright's Return to the Grand Ole Opry
Queer Korean
Music
Despite
the vibrant K-Pop industry, South Korea isn’t the
bastion of pride anthems that it’s colorful songs and
music videos may suggest. Over half of South Korea’s
population thought homosexuality was "unacceptable" in a
2014 Pew survey. It's a tough place to be gay. A product
of its environment, K-Pop has a long way to go to be
inclusive. Openly gay singers and LGBTQ-positive songs
are rare.
But
occasionally there are a few that have featured diverse
sexual orientations and gender identities, either
lyrically or visually. And some K-Pop musicians can be
described as LGBTQ-friendly.
And there
are some K-Pop musicians who have expressed support for
the LGBTQ community (including BTS and Mamamoo).
But
overall, when it comes to LGBTQ pride, for K-Pop fans,
there’s not a whole lot to talk about. Due to immense
cultural taboos, only a small number of South Korean
entertainers have been open about their LGBTQ identity.
But things
started changing in 2018 in a big way. After years with
hardly any LGBTQ representation, we are beginning to see
openly-LGBTQ artists breaking into the South Korean
music scene. While there are only rumors regarding the
members of such K-Pop groups as BTS (boy band) and
Mamamoo (girl band), there are confirmed LGBTQ musicians
that are out and proud.

Holland
- Well-known as the media’s first openly gay K-Pop idol.
He debuted in January 2018 and stated that he wanted to
make his debut as a singer to speak up on his
experiences with violent assaulters and victims stricken
on sexual minorities. He originally debuted without an
agency since many did not want to sign someone who would
speak on sexual minorities, but has since signed to an
agency.
Harisu - Transgender entertainer and singer. Born
in 1975, she identified as female from early childhood
and had sex reassignment surgery in the 1990s. She has
been active since 2001 and is active in South Korea,
Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
Lady - First all-transgender group in South
Korea. The group debuted in 2005 and had four members:
Sinae, Sahara, Binu, and Yuna. The group’s main
inspiration is from Harisu. Sadly, the group wasn’t able
to be promoted well due to their music videos not being
well received. The group disbanded in 2007.
Maman - First openly gay idol. Shortly after
debuting, Maman came out as gay in an interview. Due to
struggles with her recording company, she has been
inactive since 2015.

Hanbit
- Model, actress, and singer who debuted in 2016 under
the girl group Mercury. With the support of her parents,
Hanbit underwent male-to-female sex reassignment surgery
in 2006. In an interview, she stated, "Living with a
female body itself brought me the greatest feeling of
euphoria."
Hansol - Came out as asexual and aromantic. He
has since been vocal about his queer identity and how it
feels to live as a queer man in South Korea. When
talking about his sexuality, Hansol has stated that,
"I’m not attracted to the opposite sex, but I’m also not
attracted to the same sex. I never bothered to date and
I hate sex very much."
D.I.P - Debuted in 2016, and members Seungho and
B Nish are in a public relationship. The two announced
they were dating and are very open about their
sexuality. D.I.P’s leader is also LGBTQ. He is bisexual
and has stated that he is attracted to both men and
women.
Marshall Bang - Originally from Orange County, he
traveled to Korea to become a K-Pop star. He has been
openly gay since 2015 and debuted in 2018. Though his
gay Korean friends told him it would be better to stay
in the closet, he chose to come out as a way to be his
true self.
[Source:
Korea Boo, June 2019]
Korea Boo: Openly Queer K-Pop Idols
K-Pop Map: Artists Who Represent the LGBTQ Community in
South Korea
Rolling Stone: BTS Breaking K-Pop Barriers and Taboos
Pop Asia: Most Popular K-Pop Idols Voted by LGBTQ
Koreans

Popular LGBTQ Musicians
Melissa
Etheridge
Amy Ray
(Indigo Girls)
Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
KD Lang
Sam Smith
Janelle
Monae
Elton John
Michael
Stipe (REM)
Brandie
Carlile
Queen
Latifah
Jake
Shears (Scissors Sisters)
Jakk Fynn
Leland
Doug
Strahm (Country Music)
Young MA
Julien
Baker
Tom
Robinson
Meshell
Ndegeocello |
Rob
Halford (Judas Priest)
Sylvester
Brendon
Urie (Panic! At The Disco)
Jason Mraz
Bad Bunny
Billy
Gilman
Todrick
Hall
Trey
Pearson (Christian Music)
Mario Jose
Ray Boltz
Mary
Lambert
Angel Haze
Hurray for
the Riff Raff
Da Brat
(Rapper)
Queen
Sateen
Ryan
Beatty
Tash
Sultana
Jamie
Wyatt (Country Music) |

Lil Nas X
(Country Music Rapper)
Lucy
Spraggin
Rugus
Wainwright
Le1f
Azealia
Banks
Mark
Freehily (Westlife)
Tom Goss
Chely
Wright (Country Music)
Laura Jane
Grace
Mika
Kate
Pierson (B52s)
Cindy
Wilson (B52s)
Ricky
Wilson (B52s)
Fred
Schneider (B52s)
Keith
Strickland(B52s)
Kim Petras
Mykki
Blanco (Rapper)
Drake
Jensen (Country Music)
Harisu
(K-Pop)
Shea
Diamond
FELIN |
Girl in
Red
Alyson
Stoner
Ty Herndon
(Country Music)
Tegan and
Sara
MNEK
Holland
(K-Pop)
Juliana
Huxtable
Troye
Sivan
Ben Platt
Jennifer
Knapp (Christian Music)
Kelele
Freddie
Mercury (Queen)
Sia
Meredith
Graves (Punk Rocker)
Olly
Alexander (Years & Years)
Adam
Lambert
Zebra Katz
(Rapper)
Holly
Johnson (Frankie Goes to Hollywood)
Little
Richard
Kevin
McHale
Bright
Light Bright Light |

Syd
Lauren
Jauregui (Fifth Harmony)
Cakes Da
Killa (Rapper)
Big
Freedia (Hip Hop/Bounce)
Hayley
Kiyoko
Domo
Wilson (Hip Hop Artist)
Jennifer
Corday (Country Music)
Kehlani
Lady Gaga
House of
Ladosha
Kevin
Abstract (Rapper)
Matt
Fishel
Frank
Ocean
Linda
Perry (Four Non-Blondes)
Chris
Willis
Lance Bass
(N Sync) |
Tayla Parx
Karman
Kregloe
King
Princess
Cameron
Hawthorn (Country Music)
Rebecca
Black
Boy George
(Culture Club)
Billie Joe
Armstrong (Green Day)
Ani
DeFranco
George
Michael (Wham)
Brandon
Stansell (Country Music)
Village
People
Jonathan Knight (News Kids on the Block)
Billy
Preston
Janis Ian
Ricky
Martin
Barry
Manilow
Liberace |

LGBTQ Music News
Chely Wright's Return to the Grand Ole Opry
Rolling Stone: Little Richard, Father of Rock n
Roll, Dies at 87
New Queer Musicians Who
Are Making Their Mark
Advocate: Emerging Queer Artists
Who Are Giving Us Life
HRC: 2020 Pride Benefit
Concert
Kim Petras Performs Icy at Streamy Awards
Little Mix: Support for
the LGBTQ Community
LGBTQ Pride Anthems
Next Generation of Queer Pop Music
Lady Gaga Performs Elton John's Your Song
Rolling Stone: Essential LGBTQ Pride Songs
Wikipedia: LGBTQ Singers
Mic: 16 Big Time LGBTQ
Musicians
Interview: Mary Lambert
Boy
George and Culture Club: Career Overview
LGBTQ Anthem: Lady Gaga's Born This Way
Queer Music History 101
Next Generation of Queer Pop Music
Billboard: Pivotal LGBTQ
Moments in Music
Interview: Troye Sivan
Top Gay Male Musicians
I
Got You Babe by Cyndi Lauper and Adam Lambert
Ricky Martin: Lip Syncing
Old Time Rock & Roll and Footloose
Most Important Queer Women in Music
Out: Gay Music
Hayley Kiyoko: Queer Pop Star We've Been Waiting For
Pride: Gay
Music
The Village People: Career Overview
B52s Update: 30 Years After Love Shack
Queerness: 20 Queer Songs You Should Know
Interview: KD Lang
Lesbian Love Songs: Women Singing About Women
Library of Congress Honors Village People Gay Anthem
YMCA

The Village People
Original Members...
Victor Willis (Cop/Admiral/Athlete)
Felipe Rose (Indian)
Alex Briley (Soldier/Sailor)
Lee Mouton (Biker)
Mark Mussler (Construction Worker)
David Forrest (Cowboy)
Peter Whitehead (Generic) |
Later Members...
Glenn Hughes (Leather Man)
David Hodo (Construction Worker)
Randy Jones (Cowboy)
Ray Simpson (Cop)
Jeff Olson (Cowboy)
Miles Jaye (Cop)
Mark Lee (Construction Worker) |
Eric
Anzalone (Leather Man)
Bill Whitefield (Construction Worker)
Jim Newman (Cowboy)
Angel Morales (Indian)
Sonny Earl (Soldier)
JJ Lippold (Leather Man)
James Kwong (Construction Worker)
Chad Freeman (Cowboy)
James Lee (Soldier) |

Disco Music

Musicians Who Are LGBTQ Allies
Madonna
Sarah
McLaughlin
Cyndi
Lauper
Carrie
Underwood
Macklemore
Taylor
Swift
Katy Perry
Jennifer
Hudson
Bette
Midler |
Donna
Summer
Flavia
Barbra
Streisand
Pink
Dar
Williams
Matt
Nathanson
Cher
Sara
Bareilles
Brandy
Norwood
|
Jennifer
Lopez
Jay-Z
Kylie
Minogue
Diana Ross
Jessica
Lowndes
Gloria
Gaynor
Dan
Reynolds
Dolly
Parton
Garth
Brooks
|

Other
Media
Books/Publications
Magazines/Periodicals
Movies/Film
Television/Media
Arts/Entertainment
HOME
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