’90s one-hit wonder Tal Bachman pens bitchy op-ed complaining about too much LGBTQ+ visibility

Queer people simply existing in today’s climate and having to sift through our modern news cycle is tough enough, but have you ever come across a story that just leaves you thinking “Yeah, you could have just kept that one to yourself, sis.” Well, Tal Bachman’s recent op-ed “Why Does Everyone Have To Be Gay All the Time?” is exactly one of those moments that have us thinking “You should have just kept that one in the drafts.”

Do you recognize this man’s name? Us either. It’s clear that he may just be trying to cling to some relevancy by publishing something so harmful. I mean, the Canadian musician is best (and only) known for his 1999 pop-rock hit “She’s So High”, and his career really starts and ends there.

In this op-ed published on, you guessed it, The Bachman Beat, this one-hit wonder has expressed his frustrations with what he sees as an excessive focus on the LGBTQ+ community in society today.

At one point, he writes “​​As you might have heard, the military is now gay. Hallmark movies are now gay. TV ads are now gay. Novels, elementary school curricula, baseball, popular songs, marriage, Christian denominations, basketball, children’s library readings—all gay.”

He’s not lying, and it’s a beautiful thing. But before we go any further, let’s take a moment to appreciate the irony of a straight white man complaining about the visibility of a marginalized community.

In the post, Bachman claims that he doesn’t have a problem with gay people themselves, but he seems to have a problem with the LGBTQ+ community’s increasing visibility. He even goes so far as to suggest that people who don’t want to exult in the way “radical leftist gays” decree are labeled as haters. Umm, excuse me, Tal, but the only people decreeing how one should exult in their sexuality are the people who have been fighting for basic human rights and acceptance for decades.

Bachman grew up in a small, Christian farming community in Washington where he claims no one cared about someone’s sexuality, writing:

Wanna be gay? Great. I don’t care. No one I know does. I grew up in a small, almost entirely Christian, dairy farming town in Washington forty plus years ago. No one there even cared. Sure, the jokes and teasing between friends were more common than now. But in terms of locals getting genuinely upset someone in the community might be gay? Nah.

However, this anecdotal evidence ignores the experiences of countless LGBTQ+ people who have faced discrimination, harassment, and even violence for simply being who they are. It’s a classic example of the “I don’t see color/sexuality/gender” fallacy that ignores the experiences of those who don’t have the same privileges as straight white men.

Bachman also goes on to suggest that people in America didn’t care what consenting adults did in the privacy of their own homes. Miss Tal, have you heard of sodomy laws? Homosexuality was criminalized in many states until the late 20th century, and even today, there are still people who believe that homosexuality is immoral or wrong, as we are seeing play out in real-time with the rise of anti-LGBTQ legislation making the rounds across many states across the US.

The LGBTQ+ community has had to fight long and hard for acceptance and equality, and while progress has been made, there is still a long, long way to go.

But, there’s more. Bachman also talks about his frustration with athletes being called out for not wearing rainbow-themed Pride jerseys:

If you don’t feel like exulting about how your favorite sports team just ran out for battle wearing an iridescent, rainbow-themed Gay Pride jersey right out of a 1992 Richard Simmons exercise video, these folks now label you a “hater”. And if you’re an actual player who doesn’t want to wear one? It’s the end of the world.

First of all, these athletes are public figures who represent their teams and communities. Refusing to wear a jersey that promotes inclusivity and acceptance sends a message that they don’t support those values. Second of all, being asked to wear a jersey is not the same as being forced to be gay. No one is asking these athletes to change their sexuality. They are simply being asked to support their LGBTQ+ teammates and fans.

But perhaps the most ironic thing about this whole situation is that Bachman’s one-hit wonder “She’s So High” is lowkey a gay anthem. Seriously, we have to laugh, and what better place to do so than the glorious world of Gay Twitter™:

sometimes I think every incredibly gay feeling I’ve ever had can be traced back to She’s So High by tal bachman like that’s the common ancestor right there

— Jess Zuckerman ? (@jessinthenorth) April 12, 2018

I just found my planner from eighth grade and there's a note that says my two favorite songs at the time were She's So High by Tal Bachman and Suddenly I See by KT Turnstall

How did it take me until 21 to realize I was gay?

— Nikki Marie (@buffaloplaidgal) September 23, 2020

the fact that i sang she's so high by tal bachman at a talent show in fifth grade and my parents still didn't know i was gay until 11th grade is almost impressive

— ro-cal gay (@roliepolierolie) February 13, 2023

listening to tal bachman's she's so high, having gay feelings

— Not A. (@yoohesque) December 9, 2020

Honestly, “She’s so High” by Tal Bachman made me the queer person I am today.
Truth.

— Beck-o ??? (@Beck_illy) December 27, 2018

At the end of the day, this of course is fun to laugh off and craft some pretty hilarious tweets about, but, we can’t forget, this artist’s frustration with the increasing visibility of the LGBTQ+ community is a very real feeling that, unfortunately, many people have across this country.

It’s important to call these harmful narratives out and to recognize that the fight for LGBTQ+ rights is ongoing. We all have a role to play in promoting inclusivity and acceptance, so, let’s continue to take pride in our community in all the ways that we know how, and continue to be as visible as possible, even when others can’t handle it.