Queer Women In Music
May 20, 2023 7:53 PM Subscribe
I'm hoping to spend June, Pride Month, doing a series of posts about Queer Women In Music. I have a short list already in my mind, but I don't have anywhere near 30, and so I'm asking for names and suggestions. I'm happy to do research but if you have publicly available documentaries [YouTube or other sources] to include with your suggestions, that would be awesome.
Best answer: You're going to get lots of suggestions. Here's one with an interview: Janelle Monae
posted by ashbury at 8:53 PM on May 20, 2023
posted by ashbury at 8:53 PM on May 20, 2023
you probably already have Melissa Etheridge?
posted by fingersandtoes at 8:56 PM on May 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by fingersandtoes at 8:56 PM on May 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I am confident the Indigo Girls, Brandi Carlile, Ani DiFranco, Janelle Monae (on preview, jinx) are on your radar already.
No documentary links, but some you might not already have:
Joy Oladokun
Haley Kiyoko
Arlo Parks
posted by the primroses were over at 8:57 PM on May 20, 2023 [3 favorites]
No documentary links, but some you might not already have:
Joy Oladokun
Haley Kiyoko
Arlo Parks
posted by the primroses were over at 8:57 PM on May 20, 2023 [3 favorites]
Anhoni
Mykki Blanco
Ethel Cain
Kim Petras
posted by greta simone at 9:00 PM on May 20, 2023 [3 favorites]
Mykki Blanco
Ethel Cain
Kim Petras
posted by greta simone at 9:00 PM on May 20, 2023 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Jill Sobule interview
her autobiographical musical "fuck seventh grade" was so excellent, and i hope it gets wider audience someday
Leikeli 47
posted by wowenthusiast at 9:09 PM on May 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
her autobiographical musical "fuck seventh grade" was so excellent, and i hope it gets wider audience someday
Leikeli 47
posted by wowenthusiast at 9:09 PM on May 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
Chika
posted by nebulawindphone at 9:09 PM on May 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by nebulawindphone at 9:09 PM on May 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
Courtney Barnett, Alex Lahey, The Regrettes, fronted by Lydia Night
posted by Gorgik at 9:21 PM on May 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Gorgik at 9:21 PM on May 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Gladys Bentley, Chavela Vargas, Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith
posted by toastedcheese at 9:21 PM on May 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by toastedcheese at 9:21 PM on May 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
Fanny: The Right to Rock documentary is available publicly but do you mean it needs to be free?
posted by oxisos at 9:43 PM on May 20, 2023
posted by oxisos at 9:43 PM on May 20, 2023
Big Mama Thornton
posted by threecheesetrees at 9:55 PM on May 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by threecheesetrees at 9:55 PM on May 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
Le Tigre tour doc
Miley Cyrus doc
Edited because I accidentally published my scratch list.
posted by Pretty Good Talker at 10:45 PM on May 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
Miley Cyrus doc
Edited because I accidentally published my scratch list.
posted by Pretty Good Talker at 10:45 PM on May 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
Amari at Autostraddle has done some roundups of rap and RnB artists to watch.
posted by ellieBOA at 1:45 AM on May 21, 2023
posted by ellieBOA at 1:45 AM on May 21, 2023
Also Hayley Kiyoko hasn’t been mentioned, 070 Shake, Keke Palmer, Cat Burns, boygenius, Syd, Rina Sawayama, MUNA, Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, Tove Lo, Kim Petras!
posted by ellieBOA at 1:52 AM on May 21, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by ellieBOA at 1:52 AM on May 21, 2023 [3 favorites]
Dusty Springfield is not on your list so far. Fixed that!
posted by rongorongo at 2:04 AM on May 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by rongorongo at 2:04 AM on May 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: King Princess.
Sophie B. Hawkins, for a whole generation the first song they'd heard with female pronouns stated. And she was never heard from again.
posted by Iteki at 3:25 AM on May 21, 2023
Sophie B. Hawkins, for a whole generation the first song they'd heard with female pronouns stated. And she was never heard from again.
posted by Iteki at 3:25 AM on May 21, 2023
Best answer: Mary Lambert! Background viewing here, here and here.
posted by snusmumrik at 4:40 AM on May 21, 2023
posted by snusmumrik at 4:40 AM on May 21, 2023
Best answer: Stevie Knipe of adult mom (Documentary about making their most recent album).
posted by fabius at 5:06 AM on May 21, 2023
posted by fabius at 5:06 AM on May 21, 2023
Best answer: This one might be more important to me than anyone else here, but Louisa Jo Killen, one of the founders of Britain's folk club scene and a role model to generations of shanty and trad folk singers, transitioned late in life. I think for a lot of folkies, she was the first trans person they couldn't ignore or write off.
posted by nebulawindphone at 5:57 AM on May 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by nebulawindphone at 5:57 AM on May 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
Oh shit, while I'm on a trans women kick, WENDY CARLOS
posted by nebulawindphone at 6:25 AM on May 21, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by nebulawindphone at 6:25 AM on May 21, 2023 [3 favorites]
Josephine Wiggs of The Breeders, Honey Tongue, The Josephine Wiggs Experience and Dusty Trails
Short video here of Wiggs and Kelley Deal on being in The Breeders
posted by virago at 6:29 AM on May 21, 2023
Short video here of Wiggs and Kelley Deal on being in The Breeders
posted by virago at 6:29 AM on May 21, 2023
Best answer: She's a pop star so many people don't take her music seriously but Jojo Siwa is an out and proud young artist.
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 6:33 AM on May 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 6:33 AM on May 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Haela Hunt-Hendrix of black metal band Liturgy. Recent coverage, bandcamp link
posted by okonomichiyaki at 7:42 AM on May 21, 2023
posted by okonomichiyaki at 7:42 AM on May 21, 2023
Best answer: Old school: The Canadian singer-songwriter Ferron, who left home at 15, in 1967, with only a change of clothes, a toothbrush, a waitress uniform and a Leonard Cohen album.
Performing her new song "Rosalee" live at the Vancouver Island Musicfest in 2022
posted by virago at 10:17 AM on May 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
Performing her new song "Rosalee" live at the Vancouver Island Musicfest in 2022
posted by virago at 10:17 AM on May 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Because I couldn't stop reading about Ferron online, I found the 2013 documentary Thunder, for which there were two longish (7 to 9 minutes) trailers:
Trailer 1
Trailer 2
The complete documentary is available on Bandcamp (but not for free).
posted by virago at 10:52 AM on May 21, 2023
Trailer 1
Trailer 2
The complete documentary is available on Bandcamp (but not for free).
posted by virago at 10:52 AM on May 21, 2023
Brazilians: Cassia Eller, Adriana Calcanhoto, and (more recent) Bia Ferreira and Aniita
posted by stinker at 11:57 AM on May 21, 2023
posted by stinker at 11:57 AM on May 21, 2023
I think there are a million queer women music artists I can name, but the boys (women) from boygenius (a super group band who are all solo artists in their own rights) are super hot these days and all queer - Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus and Phoebe Bridgers. They just released a new album and a new very queer mini film directed by the also very queer Kristen Stewart. There's not really any documentaries but there are lots of little interview bits with them from around the time of their album release. Here's one from Apple Music.
Phoebe also has her own label and has a (small) queer roster of artists, including the SUPER buzzy band MUNA whose Silk Chiffon was something of a queer anthem last year. Both Phoebe and MUNA are opening for Taylor Swift on a few dates so they're on an upward swing in popularity.
I think if you're hoping for docs, a lot of the queer artists that have those are going to skew older, but Courtney Barnett has a recent documentary about her out called Anonymous Club. She's rad.
posted by urbanlenny at 12:52 PM on May 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
Phoebe also has her own label and has a (small) queer roster of artists, including the SUPER buzzy band MUNA whose Silk Chiffon was something of a queer anthem last year. Both Phoebe and MUNA are opening for Taylor Swift on a few dates so they're on an upward swing in popularity.
I think if you're hoping for docs, a lot of the queer artists that have those are going to skew older, but Courtney Barnett has a recent documentary about her out called Anonymous Club. She's rad.
posted by urbanlenny at 12:52 PM on May 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: This list of suggestions thus far is fantastic and I'm looking forward to beginning some research beyond what has been contributed here. I hope you will continue suggesting artists because I'm not sure what shape these postings will take yet, and the more I can draw from, the better this will be.
I will say, if you suggested something and you don't see a post about it... well, I have a lot of suggestions and will try rolling appropriate people together if it seems proper... but also, this is a lot. Thanks!
posted by hippybear at 1:00 PM on May 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
I will say, if you suggested something and you don't see a post about it... well, I have a lot of suggestions and will try rolling appropriate people together if it seems proper... but also, this is a lot. Thanks!
posted by hippybear at 1:00 PM on May 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
Beth Ditto from the Gossip.
posted by kensington314 at 1:03 PM on May 21, 2023
posted by kensington314 at 1:03 PM on May 21, 2023
Nina Simone.
posted by kensington314 at 1:08 PM on May 21, 2023
posted by kensington314 at 1:08 PM on May 21, 2023
Olivia Records was very influential in the 70s and early 80s.
posted by elmay at 5:40 PM on May 21, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by elmay at 5:40 PM on May 21, 2023 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Silvana Imam, Swedish rapper of Lithuanian and Syrian descent. My local LGBTQ+ film festival screened a documentary about her shortly before the pandemic, called Silvana. It appears to be rentable but not publicly available.
Hayley Kiyoko has been mentioned a couple times now, but said festival used one of her songs for the ad before every screening one year, and I liked it enough to buy the album and mention her again now.
(btw thanks for the topic & I look forward to the posts!)
posted by mersen at 6:19 PM on May 21, 2023
Hayley Kiyoko has been mentioned a couple times now, but said festival used one of her songs for the ad before every screening one year, and I liked it enough to buy the album and mention her again now.
(btw thanks for the topic & I look forward to the posts!)
posted by mersen at 6:19 PM on May 21, 2023
Leisha Hailey from The Murmurs and Uh Huh Her (and The L word series).
posted by archimago at 5:23 AM on May 22, 2023
posted by archimago at 5:23 AM on May 22, 2023
You probably know these but: Alix Dobkin and Maxine Feldman.
The first lesbian-centric record release is widely considered to be Maxine Feldman's 45 "Angry Atthis" (Atthis was mentioned in one of Sappho's poems, so, neat play on words), written in 1969, a month before Stonewall, and released in 1972. Lots more info about it in this 2007 obit, which also includes some thoughtful discussion of Maxine's masculine-presenting gender identity as a "transgender butch lesbian" and the acceptance he eventually found in the trans community. Lots more info and photos here.
Alix Dobkin was a daughter of Communists who self-released a couple of classic lesbian folk albums in 1973 and 1975 that are generally considered the first full albums made by, for and about lesbians (my copy of her 2nd self-released LP has a "This music is for Lesbians. It should be sold to and shared with women only, and is NOT for public broadcast. Thank you, XX Alix Dobkin" sticker on it).
- Lavender Jane Loves Women (lots of individual songs like View From Gay Head are on YouTube)
- Living With Lesbians with the Lesbian Power Authority (full album)
Here's a thorough WaPo obit (gift link) that includes Dobkin's "The Future Is Female" shirt photo from 1975 that was apparently rediscovered by an Instagrammer in 2014 who helped revive the slogan. CW: In contrast to Maxine Feldman, Dobkin was vehemently opposed to trans women in women's spaces, which is mentioned in both the WaPo article and on Dobkin's Wikipedia page.
posted by mediareport at 5:43 AM on May 22, 2023 [2 favorites]
The first lesbian-centric record release is widely considered to be Maxine Feldman's 45 "Angry Atthis" (Atthis was mentioned in one of Sappho's poems, so, neat play on words), written in 1969, a month before Stonewall, and released in 1972. Lots more info about it in this 2007 obit, which also includes some thoughtful discussion of Maxine's masculine-presenting gender identity as a "transgender butch lesbian" and the acceptance he eventually found in the trans community. Lots more info and photos here.
Alix Dobkin was a daughter of Communists who self-released a couple of classic lesbian folk albums in 1973 and 1975 that are generally considered the first full albums made by, for and about lesbians (my copy of her 2nd self-released LP has a "This music is for Lesbians. It should be sold to and shared with women only, and is NOT for public broadcast. Thank you, XX Alix Dobkin" sticker on it).
- Lavender Jane Loves Women (lots of individual songs like View From Gay Head are on YouTube)
- Living With Lesbians with the Lesbian Power Authority (full album)
Here's a thorough WaPo obit (gift link) that includes Dobkin's "The Future Is Female" shirt photo from 1975 that was apparently rediscovered by an Instagrammer in 2014 who helped revive the slogan. CW: In contrast to Maxine Feldman, Dobkin was vehemently opposed to trans women in women's spaces, which is mentioned in both the WaPo article and on Dobkin's Wikipedia page.
posted by mediareport at 5:43 AM on May 22, 2023 [2 favorites]
Olivia Records was very influential in the 70s and early 80s.
Seconding that; for a long time records from the founders, Cris Williamson and Meg Christian, were *everywhere* in queer stores.
posted by mediareport at 5:53 AM on May 22, 2023
Seconding that; for a long time records from the founders, Cris Williamson and Meg Christian, were *everywhere* in queer stores.
posted by mediareport at 5:53 AM on May 22, 2023
Also, the 2017 book David Bowie Made Me Gay: 100 years of LGBT Music is a wonderful resource, if you don't already know it. Chapter 11 is called "Living With Lesbians" and covers Olivia Records and Chris Williamson (and lots of other lesser-known artists), including this:
Williamson's album, The Changer And The Changed, remains one of the best-selling independent releases of all time, with sales in excess of a million copies, and the label that issue it - Olivia Records - spearheaded a country-wide movement that would help to change the way women were treated in the music industry.
Oh, it also mentions Janis Ian, who came out later in life.
posted by mediareport at 6:05 AM on May 22, 2023
Williamson's album, The Changer And The Changed, remains one of the best-selling independent releases of all time, with sales in excess of a million copies, and the label that issue it - Olivia Records - spearheaded a country-wide movement that would help to change the way women were treated in the music industry.
Oh, it also mentions Janis Ian, who came out later in life.
posted by mediareport at 6:05 AM on May 22, 2023
You forgot (the artist formerly known as) Christine and the Queens!
posted by winterportage at 9:17 AM on May 22, 2023
posted by winterportage at 9:17 AM on May 22, 2023
Best answer: Grace Petrie -- a folk musician who also has a new comedy show, "Butch Ado About Nothing."
posted by obliquicity at 8:53 AM on May 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by obliquicity at 8:53 AM on May 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
Oh, Phranc's album "Folksinger" made a big lesbian splash on indie/college radio in 1985. I still ache a bit when I hear the chorus of "One O' The Girls."
posted by mediareport at 2:21 PM on May 23, 2023
posted by mediareport at 2:21 PM on May 23, 2023
But Jane, Jenny, Toni, Pam and Debbie
Keep trying to get me into a bikini
Jane, Jenny, Toni, Pam and Debbie
Keep trying to get me into a bikini
It's not me
I think it's a pretty keen
Feeling on the swim team
I can stick out yet still fit in
Feeling of belonging from deep within
And I feel lucky to have these friends
And they feel lucky to know a real live lesbian
I'll always love that goddamn beautiful song.
posted by mediareport at 2:26 PM on May 23, 2023
Keep trying to get me into a bikini
Jane, Jenny, Toni, Pam and Debbie
Keep trying to get me into a bikini
It's not me
I think it's a pretty keen
Feeling on the swim team
I can stick out yet still fit in
Feeling of belonging from deep within
And I feel lucky to have these friends
And they feel lucky to know a real live lesbian
I'll always love that goddamn beautiful song.
posted by mediareport at 2:26 PM on May 23, 2023
Folks have mentioned Sleater-Kinney and Tribe 8 above, but also on the 90s tip:
Team Dresch, whose first album was big for spreading woman-woman vibes in straightboy indie punk. Donna Dresch started Chainsaw, one of the early queercore zines, later a record label.
God Is My Co-Pilot, a fountain of quick fucked-up broken queercore songs (try "Sex Is For Making Babies" or "Batgirl Gets a C-Section" off Puss 02 or "I Surrender Complete Control To Anne" or the rest of Speed Yr Trip or Straight Not)
The Queercore wikipedia page has more, probably. Other Riot Grrl bands would probably fit here, too.
Damn, now I'm thinking of great lost zines like Holy Titclamps and Homocore. I'll be in the corner pogoing quietly if you need me.
posted by mediareport at 3:34 PM on May 23, 2023
Team Dresch, whose first album was big for spreading woman-woman vibes in straightboy indie punk. Donna Dresch started Chainsaw, one of the early queercore zines, later a record label.
God Is My Co-Pilot, a fountain of quick fucked-up broken queercore songs (try "Sex Is For Making Babies" or "Batgirl Gets a C-Section" off Puss 02 or "I Surrender Complete Control To Anne" or the rest of Speed Yr Trip or Straight Not)
The Queercore wikipedia page has more, probably. Other Riot Grrl bands would probably fit here, too.
Damn, now I'm thinking of great lost zines like Holy Titclamps and Homocore. I'll be in the corner pogoing quietly if you need me.
posted by mediareport at 3:34 PM on May 23, 2023
Wow, obliquicity, Grace Petrie's song "Black Tie" is amazing! Thanks for that link, and thanks to hippybear for this great Ask.
posted by mediareport at 4:27 PM on May 23, 2023
posted by mediareport at 4:27 PM on May 23, 2023
Response by poster: Like I said, I had a short list in my head, but man, there is so much here! I thank everyone for all the pointers so far, and look forward to any more that come in. June will be pretty great for sure, but I suspect there will be posts continuing long after that.
posted by hippybear at 4:31 PM on May 23, 2023
posted by hippybear at 4:31 PM on May 23, 2023
Karen Maeda Allman from the punk band Conflict (US)
Anti Scrunti Faction, featuring a pre-Tribe 8 Leslie Mah
Iraya Robles from Sta-Prest (The Outpunk band, not the mod band (though they're on the included playlist as well))
posted by gtrwolf at 4:38 PM on May 23, 2023
Anti Scrunti Faction, featuring a pre-Tribe 8 Leslie Mah
Iraya Robles from Sta-Prest (The Outpunk band, not the mod band (though they're on the included playlist as well))
posted by gtrwolf at 4:38 PM on May 23, 2023
Nervous But Excited (and Kate Peterson, half of the duo, is a solo musician as well)
Sia
Bessie Smith
Bitch and Animal
Zolita
Dizzy Fae
Shea Diamond
REYNA
Lucy & La Mer
posted by wicked_sassy at 5:32 AM on June 1, 2023
Sia
Bessie Smith
Bitch and Animal
Zolita
Dizzy Fae
Shea Diamond
REYNA
Lucy & La Mer
posted by wicked_sassy at 5:32 AM on June 1, 2023
Best answer: Not music exactly, but featured on Lesbian Concentrate, this radicalized me when I came out in 1981. Pat Parker, performing For Straight Folks Who Don't Mind Gays But Wish They Weren't So Blatant.
And for a bonus, Pat Parker performing Where Will You Be When They Come at the first National March on Washington for LGBTQ rights in 1979 (when I was a suicidal teenager desparately afraid to be a lesbian).
posted by elmay at 6:37 AM on June 1, 2023
And for a bonus, Pat Parker performing Where Will You Be When They Come at the first National March on Washington for LGBTQ rights in 1979 (when I was a suicidal teenager desparately afraid to be a lesbian).
posted by elmay at 6:37 AM on June 1, 2023
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posted by studioaudience at 8:31 PM on May 20, 2023 [5 favorites]