Happy Trans Day of Visibility 2015! This may be a bit obvious, but this is the day where we highlight trans people in our lives, our community and our world and celebrate the things that they do. Making trans people, and especially trans people of color, more visible in society is vitally important, and I use the word “vitally” on purpose, as more visibility and more diverse visibility will literally save trans lives. We need to see trans people so that we normalize being trans and people no longer think we’re freaks or that they don’t know anyone who’s trans and therefore trans issues don’t matter to them. We need to see trans people who are alive and successful so that other trans people have hope. We need to see, and hear, trans people telling their stories and sharing their words.
All the bands and artists on this playlist either are trans or have at least one trans member. Some are trans women, some are trans men, some are genderqueer, some are agender. I’m sure there are plenty of other trans musicians I left off. Also, apparently if you want to see awesome punk music by trans artists you need to head to Brooklyn right now (you should check out Brooklyn Transcore for more awesome queer and trans artists).
Katey Red via Executive PR and Talent
Trans Day of Visibility
True Trans Soul Rebel – Against Me!
Punk Under Pressure – Katey Red
The Dance of Diminishing Possibilities – Baby Dee
The Body Electric – Hurray for the Riff Raff
G.L.O.S.S. (We’re From The Future) – G.L.O.S.S.
400 Days – The Manifest Electric
Crown – Angel Haze
(I Wanna Be A) Dyke Wife – Little Waist
Hercules’ Theme – Hercules and the Love Affair ft. Nomi Ruiz
Subway – Girlcrush
Are You Ready – The Shondes
Oh Yeah – The Cliks
Wavvy – Mykki Blanco
Start Talking – Aye Nako
For Today I Am a Boy – Antony & The Johnsons
Cats! – Penguin
Eyes of the Patriarchy – Femmepire
Ondine– Lower Dens
Want to suggest a playlist theme? Hit Stef up and someone on the team might make it for you.
That picture of Laura Jane is perfect!
this is so awesome, mey! thank you for putting it together!
Blasting this playlist from my stoop. A+ thank you!!
I feel like that is the most appropriate way to listen to this music.
I wish Angel Haze could be on every playlist, ever.
today was a long, long day of cis men writing sexist articles, misgendering me and policing my anger, but this playlist (and dog cuddles) is getting me through, so thank you.
You’re welcome! I really hope your day gets better!
thanks!! my trans family rallied and day got infinitely better :)
I’m glad!
THANK YOUUUUUUUUU I need this.
I just had a long talk with my girlfriend about my gender feelings and how I think the only thing stopping me from transitioning is having to come out to work and family.
So essentially I think I’m ftm and I need to find role models and this came at the right time. Thank you.
You’re welcome! I’m happy for you and I wish all the best for you and good luck with work and family stuff!
I hope I can link to my partner’s soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/xxstein
My genderqueer love :)
oh my god this is amazing I love it
This is the best!
Also, great excerpt on the home page: “Make sure you listen to trans people when they’re not playing music too.”
This is great!
Also: idea. Everyone on here who is trans, a musician, and interested post a link in the replies to this comment to your music so we can listen to you today too?
Here is a link to the Girlcrush song, thanks for including us!!: http://girlcrush.bandcamp.com/track/subway
xo,
J
It makes me so happy that there are enough amazing trans musicians that we can a play list that’s this cool. Good job, Mey!
eff yeah!!
Okay if not for this playlist I likely would have not ever gotten around to listening to anything from the Transgender Dysphoria Blues album which is crime for multiple reasons and was needed in my life.
Also I hope this playlist has brought Katey Red into somebody’s life where she was not previously.
Highly highly recommend listening to Not Right (http://notrightpunk.com/ and https://notrightpunk.bandcamp.com/album/your-turn) if you like your punk angry and political. “My Body” in particular is about gaze and trans bodies. One of Ruth’s other bands has a song about gender affirmation surgery, the difficulties of accessing surgery on the NHS, binarism and policing within the trans community (https://disputesettlementmechanism.bandcamp.com/track/nhs-vulva)
On a smokier, subtler note, may I recommend CN Lester? They’re a non-binary classical artist who does magical things with piano and voice – some of their stuff is available to listen here: http://www.cnlester.com/music/
Hey I am a trans woman who plays in a band and runs a feminist punk record label. Here are some more trans artists and bands with trans people playing in them that we’ve worked with:
Gorgon – VT punk / Trans woman fronted / My band.
SLOP SINK – Chicago trans punk awesomeness.
Correspondences – Sludge/doom/cello metal. Currently in hibernation.
Tall Girl – trans women playing punk-ish metal. Not currently active.
A bunch of the bands already listed/mentioned have also been on compilations that we have released. They are all awesome. Lastly, the label is called Stickshift Recordings – we have been somewhat inactive this winter because winter here is brutal, but we are still around and will be doing more in the next few months.