Overdog For the Underdog

The Overdog Helping the Underdog

1. “Because baby I was born this way!” Gaga’s Voice Gives Hope

Long before the musical notes of Born This Way hit the stereos across the world, Lady Gaga already cultivated a massive rapport with the LGBT community. This was due to her previous music videos where she would subtlety place herself kissing, or provocatively dancing with, women and men alike to express her standing on the every rising issue of Equality along with her own sexuality to the world. She openly spoke about these topics in interviews and other places as her fame grew to one of the subcultures I call home.

To my knowledge this is one of the first ragingly popular songs of my generation that has openly said “It’s okay to be Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgendered. It’s safe to be you.” Hitting the market just as the issue of Equality was at its peak Born This Way gave young, and old, LGBT individual’s incredible new strength to fight for our rights.

To me this video emerged at the moment I felt my lowest while coming out as transgender after so many years of my mother telling me it was just the “anime” talking. 13 years old until 20 years old is quite a long time to be going through a “phase.” Then my best fined of the time exclaimed “You aren’t a man because you still wear girly clothing and do girly things!” I was unaware that men who identified as women were not allowed to wear male clothing anymore to prove themself female. These are the times I remember when I let Gaga’s powerful speech run over the movie reel of my mind, “I’m beautiful in my way, ‘cause god makes no mistakes. I’m on the right track, baby, I was born this way. Don’t hide yourself in regret, just love yourself and your set. I’m on the right track baby I was born this way yeah.” (Gaga) 

2. Same Love – Words of a Hero

             Macklemore made his claim to fame with the trend-y pop song Thrift Shop. Its light hearted, and upbeat tunes rooting for the poor to show off their thrift shop flair while everyone else wastes their money. His most recent top of the charts hit, ft. Mary Lambert, Same Love is yet another large push for the Equality of LGBT persons.

            “When I was in the third grade I thought that I was gay, 'cause I could draw, my uncle was, and I kept my room straight.” Macklemore opens reminiscing in his child hood leading into how messed up these stereotypes are in a world that is so diverse. His words are soul filled with examples of who, and how, they make people feel this way for no other reason then “Man-made rewiring of a predisposition.” (Macklemore)

            Where Gaga’s song ceases Macklemore blossoms in the difference that it is less about one’s self perceived notice and more on how we should be fighting against others self-perceived notion of us.  Though we must start with ourselves and branch out to the larger picture from there it is nice to see this duality in the pop culture everyone seems to emerge their life in today.

            “When kids are walking 'round the hallway plagued by pain in their heart

A world so hateful some would rather die than be who they are.” (Macklemore.) These lyrics I think are the most profound. This is our future, these kids that are taking their own life because “We paraphrase a book written thirty-five-hundred years ago” (Macklemore) rather than love one another.

3. Dear Straight People – A Poem on How I want to Rob You

Dear Straight People is a poem I discovered not long ago through a spoken word class I attended. It was an example on how one can control their character to exaggerate on their piece. How it is controlled to be outrageously perfect for what you are trying to present to the people listening, watching. Though I took in what the person lecturing was saying about this slam poem I also felt this spoken word move a part of me in a personal way.

“Dear Queer Young Girl, I see you. You don’t want them to see you so you change the pronouns in your love poems to “him” instead of “her.” I used to do that.”  (Dear Straight People lines 60- 64) Frohman summarizes this part of my past particularly well as I spoke up for the ones in high school that couldn’t speak for themselves due to the fear of rejection or wrath of others.

My girlfriend is 26 and her parents are still eager for her to find a man to marry for children someday. It does not matter how well I treat her, what I stand for, weather I am alive or dead, just that I am not a true man. Her parents say that they love me, and adore me because I have worked so hard to get to where I am. That they are proud of me for going back to school, but if I were to ask her father for her hand in marriage I would not be welcomed to it. It is just recently that they stopped throwing this “defect” in her face to try and change her ways.

An ex-girlfriend of mine had to hide that we were lovers for the short time that we were due to them being overly conservative. Though she was bisexual she had learned from her sisters “mistakes.” Her beloved sister dated the same sex, even the same women, for five or so years. The whole time getting no support from the people she proclaimed as home. Eventually this led her to repent of her sins. She is still single, but at least she has her family.

“Dear straight people, you make me want to fuckin’ rob you,” (Dear Straight People Line 38-39) of your rights as you have robbed us of ours for generations. Rob you of the innocent souls that you have forced to feel abandoned due to beating and bullying from people that cannot accept the beauty of difference.   

4. No H8 for John Bowarrman – Leading by Example

           The simple, yet powerful, photo above is of John Barrowman, an openly LGBT actor that has gained his fame from the fandom of the longest running Syfy show (Doctor Who) as the character of Captain Jack Harkness. Harkness is openly pansexual in this reverting show and it is the trait that has made him most popular as a character, as he finds beauty in everything; John is much the same way. His husband, Scott, and he have been together for some time and he fights for Equality day in and day out.

Showing support for the NO H8 champion is something small that Barrowman has done as yet another figure head of the LGBT subculture and it shows that such a little act can go such a long way. He continues to inspire like minds and brings hope to hearts that may have lost it. No matter how hard times have gotten for him he has come out (no pun intended) on top.

While in the mists of coming out as transgender FTM (Female to male) I discovered Barrowman’s character and it reminded me that I may be down right now but there are people speaking up for e somewhere as I did when I was younger for others. The people that were meant to stay will, and others weren’t really worth it. Use the experience that one has to help them, not hinder. There are still people out there hating on others to the point where their future is in vain. The underdog needs people like us to say that it is okay, that there is a tomorrow, that hope is here, and that if you don’t have a voice we will loan you ours.