Macklemore and Ryan Lewis were the biggest story of Sunday night’s Grammys, winning multiple awards and performing his gay rights anthem “Same Love” with Madonna while Queen Latifah officiated a mass wedding ceremony.
Even Ellen DeGeneres introduced a performance by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis on her show last year by saying that “no other artists in hip-hop history have ever taken a stand defending marriage equality the way they have.”
Though many appreciate the message there are some that feel that rapper (and possible former gay escort) Macklemore is overshadowing an entire genre of openly LGBT hip-hop artists who have been rapping about equality for years.
So, we pose the question to you Queerty members: Is The LGBT Community Praising Macklemore At The Expense Of LGBT Musicians?
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Louis
To show respect for someone who truly gets it and respects and values us as human beings is not sacrificing those who are LGBT who also contribute too the arts.
They are as equally valuable and important as our allies are even more so being a part of our community more of our LGBT brothers and sisters that need too be lifted up and appreciated for their work and contributions within this community of enlightened bright artistic special people.
Spike
LGBT musicians. Like who? Are we now expected to support a musician because they are gay regardless if their music is not to our liking or they just plain suck?
Louis
@Spike: Equally valid question.
RandallSM
The LGBTQ community has a varied and rich tapestry of musicians whose work is/was never lauded outside of the underground community. I, myself, have even made a list of them and posted said list here in QUEERTY’s comment section because I grew tired of the same uninteresting music articles always posted.
Just because one is ignorant and chooses to be spoonfed what they should be appreciating, doesn’t mean the alternative doesn’t exist. And I am happy to say that it’s about high time this community gets a taste of privilege; heterosexual-privilege.
Gigi Gee
Can you just STFU already? Macklemore wrote an LGBT supportive song. It was written for his gay uncle(s). We – the LGBT community – have benefited greatly from this showing of love and respect. It’s time to stop ridiculing those who support us, simply because they’re not gay.
RandallSM
Ah, the intellectual and mature response. Ignore what challenges you.
KDub
Yes, yes, YES! Macklemore gets all the praise and attention for his pat-me-on-the-back “activism”, but what about Mary Lambert? Beth Ditto? Matt Alber? They’re all activists that do way better music and get virtually no coverage in the gay community. A gay artist would never get as much attention or acclaim for doing the SAME thing Macklemore does, and yes, the LGBT community is partly responsible for that. Seems gay people would rather uplift faux pro-gay straight artists than actual gay artists. Sad because in a way that’s kind of inadvertently saying straight people do it better.
mikeysexc
Whoever among our LBGT community are bitching about this.. look i know as gay people we are very picky… but STFU
We should be happy about ANYONE, ESPECIALLY THE STRAIGHT ALLIES, who bring focus to our cause and help bring in even more straight allies.. stop being jealous queens and get over yourselves!
robirob
Macklemoore is popular right now, so it’s cool to praise him for his gay friendly actions. Some LGBT musicians do not have the same mainstream appeal and audience like Macklemore has. Therefore LGBT musicians lack the ‘cool’, ‘hip’ or popular factor.
RandallSM
I will refuse to name artists, but I think if the community at large stopped paying attention to vapid, color-by-numbers mainstream fluff and begin to dig deeper, only then will you see a shift. I’m not saying that there isn’t a place for disposable pop music, but when your community is known for only highlighting a narrow margin, then you deserve your stereotype.
CCTR
I appreciate the message of his “Same Love” song and the platform it has been allowed but I do agree that the praise Macklemore is receiving is overshadowing an entire genre of openly LGBT hip-hop artists who have been rapping about equality for years. Whether he is deserving or not is a different issue.
I wouldn’t say it was at the expense of LGBT musicians but it would be great if some of the very talented LGBT “underground, local, indie” musicians with songs about equality could garner greater support of the LGBT community and be propelled to the cross over level of stardom and praise that Macklemore has achieved.
Hopefully the popularity of “Same Love” will be ground breaking in the sense of opening the door for LGBT artists and their messages about equality.
tazz602
Such an idiotic question and premise. Isn’t there room for our allies AND out queer artists in our sandbox? Let’s talk talent and sales figures – there may be gay artists, but are they winning Grammy’s? No – but a straight ally is – and that is awesome.
xzall
I think they’re LGBT musicians that get praised pretty regularly like Adam Lambert and Scissor Sisters. They don’t have quite the same mainstream press as a guy like Macklemore who had 4 hit singles which is why he’s getting the lion share of coverage.
They’re bands like Vampire Weekend who have a gay member but who don’t really write music that’s specifically about LGBT activism so they fly under the radar in that regard. The one time Rostam did write a song called ” I wanna be your boyfriend” he said at the time he was disappointed it didn’t become a gay anthem. So maybe it starts with the clubs who choose to play more of the pro gay straight artists than the gay artists. Or maybe it’s the music business itself who advises musicians to keep in the closet and who avoid signing openly gay artists.
RandallSM
And to that point, why should anyone care about an empty, artless award like a Grammy, myself included.
xzall
I should also add Tegan and Sara are great and they almost had a break out year here in the US (although they’re more popular in Canada). Also Vampire Weekend did win a Grammy for Best Alternative as well.
CCTR
@robirob: I understand what you mean but be aware that the LGBT community has a role in deciding and or accepting what the “cool, hip, popular” factor is.
robirob
@CCTR: The LGBT community sure has that power, but how and on who is it used right now? According to the Queerty’s question it’s Macklemore, a straight ally, which isn’t a bad thing at all, but the danger I see in a lot of actions of the LGBT community as a whole these days is the assimilation issue where the community’s unique, individual, and innovative identity is thrown overboard in favor of blending in with the straight mainstream crowd.
Charlie in Charge
Buy both.
caris
I’m biased. I don’t like the song. I find Macklemore’s rapping annoying at best. I find Macklemore’s need to spend about the first third of his rap in Same Love stressing how not gay he is, bothersome.
Even so, I don’t think the attention Macklemore is getting is at the “expense” of other artists. As has been pointed out, Macklemore had a hit song. Despite the disparaging that popular entertainment gets, the truth is it actually has its own sets of challenges to find the “lowest common denominator”, or else a whole hell of a lot more of us would be putting out chart topping records than actually do. Need I also point out that many things we consider great works of art today, were considered trash only fit for the common folk in their day?
RandallSM
http://www.incrediblethings.com/entertainment/if-cartoons-starred-pop-singers/
lol @ straight musician, who’s contrived and wholly unoriginal music sucks, saving our asses.
balehead
Gay musicians are bad??…..Ummm Scissor Sisters anyone???
Niall
The fact is that besides Adam Lambert, there’s NO visible LGBT musician, besides maybe Lady Gaga, but for some reason her bisexuality seems to be dismissed, soo…. Yeah there’s basically no one that’s visible enough. With all due respect, people won’t really listen to someone like Glozell or whatever he’s called that no one barely knows. If people want the LGBT message to be spread, then we’ll need someone known outside the LGBT community, since that’s where the message is aimed not the LGBT community itself
jimbryant
There are no openly gay or bisexual male performer in the music charts for two reasons. One is that the labels won’t sign a male who wishes to market himself as gay or bisexual. The other is that females will not purchase music from openly gay or bisexual male performers.
Yes, there ARE gay and bisexual performers in the music industry. However, they are told to shut up about it. There is a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy which is stringently applied to male performers.
The other problem that surrounds openly gay/bisexual male performers is that, were a label to sign one, it would stereotype him and he would stereotype himself. He would become “the openly gay male performer”. Think Adam Lambert. The stereotype eventually weakened his career after the novelty of the stereotype wore off.
mjwatts
I sometimes get annoyed with Macklemore being praised as though he’s like “the savior of the gays” or something, but I do think when you look at his song in context (being released during the time of the vote of the Washington State marriage referendum) it’s a nice thing he did.
However, it would be nice to have more recognition for those queer artists who are making music about their queer experiences. They may not be extremely popular, but they do exist, and do deserve attention.
TheMarc
“Gee, maybe if we ask the same question twice, we’ll get a different answer?”
Yet another ridiculous article. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are receiving praise because no fairly popular, straight hip hop artist has been such a big supporter of marriage equality. That’s the praise they’re receiving. Not that there are no better hip hop artists out there, LGBT or otherwise. Should we attack the late Elizabeth Taylor for receiving so much praise for her work with AMFAR because she might be “overshadowing” LGBT actors and actresses??? To that end, you might as well accuse every straight popular artist in every genre of “overshadowing” LGBT artists.
I find it very odd and mind-boggling how someone can turn unprecedented support from someone outside of this community into proof of some campaign of oppression. Instead of using this artist to whine about the fact that LGBT artists aren’t as popular as straight artists; how about we appreciate the fact that a mainstream artist has voluntarily taken an issue so important and vital to this community and given it even more focus, exposure and perhaps, additional support.
And as far as LGBT artists…well, here’s the thing. When I hear a great song on the radio, at a club or online, I don’t stop to ask is that person white, black, gay or straight. It doesn’t matter. Most people feel that way. It’s why you can find a redneck blaring Jay Z in Jackson and a thug jamming out to AC/DC in Compton. I think Spike actually hit the nail on the head as far as what question we should be asking instead of this ridiculous one. Do LGBT artists expect support from the entire LGBT community no matter what content they produce or what quality it is? Nobody is saying they’re bad but…who exactly is being overshadowed?
TheMarc
@jimbryant: Yep, since Sir Elton came out he’s had a hard time moving albums and booking shows.
KDub
@robirob: I agree 100%. The hetero assimilation that’s become so popular is slowly killing the gay community. It’s part of why gay bars and clubs all over the country are starting to shut down. It’s also part of why Logo is slowly turning into Lifetime.
nycstudentfilms
Hello,
I am a student in NYC creating a short film and am looking for some LGBTQA members or allies to share interesting stories regarding life and love. These stories do not have to be about you personally – they can be about friends, family, etc. If you are busy and worry about time commitment, do not worry. This project will be a one-time meeting/filming.
I’m looking for participants that have stories they feel need to be heard, listened to, and shared. I have no preference whether the story or situation is happy or sad.
Please follow up on this comment with a short synopsis of your story and we can go from there. Thank you for your time.
andreleneal
There’s a lot of sociopolitical stuff at play. This man just swept the Rap Grammys but his music doesn’t really play on urban radio. It plays on pop and top40. So how’d he win a Grammy in a category whose radio stations don’t play his work? He played well on White radio. And good on him, but he should have been up for pop records, not just Rap.
Furthermore, I’m not mad at Macklemore he’s in a horrible position. The media and Ellen have painted him as the savior of hip-hop from homophobia or the only one speaking on it. But there are queer urban artists! I do appreciate that he’s using his white and straight privilege to do the right thing but being Black and queer, I just don’t have the same access.
And I resent him becoming the mouthpiece of a movement, instead of playing his position. Use the platform to present queer hip-hop artists who rock.
Tangentially, that Mary Lambert EP is fantastic.
LAMBERTLUST
@Gigi Gee: i agree 100 % Macklemore has taken an incredible stand for equality.
Larry
Why must even our press CREATE these stories? The MESSAGE is what is important NOT the sexual orientation of ANY artist. GET A GRIP!
Dwayne420
Like most of the comments here, what star quality gay musicians are we talking about? We should not act as “blind sheep” that praise people’s work just because they are gay nor should we support an organization just because it is gay. I actually have run into a few gay online organizations that are so awful I would never support them even if someone paid me.
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis deserved every bit of praise (and more) they received and I look forward to buying every piece of music they put out.
billygfa
First of all, for a musician to be praised requires good music and a great message for me. I don’t really know any LGBT rap artists and honestly I’m not a fan of rap. These guys have made me do something I thought not possible. I downloaded 2 rap songs because of them. They have the talent, the personality, and the artistry to draw me in. Let an LGBT person do that and I will feel the same way. I won’t subsitute who I like because one is gay and one is straight. They still have to tow the line and be good.
jimbryant
Elton John has no hits in the Billboard Hot 100 and he has not had any for years and years and years. Hanging on to Elton John as if he is some “torch for freedom” is hilariously misguided.
Keep in mind that Elton was once hot on the singles chart. Very hot. In fact, he was burning hot. But all this occurred BEFORE he came out. In fact, there was a time period in the 1970′ s where he produced almost all his mercurial hits. Again, however, this was BEFORE he came out.
If Elton is a torch for freedom, why has there only been one openly gay American male performer in the Billboard top 10 in the last 50 years? Yep, just one in 50 years.
While you gays shake your faux-uteruses within the disco of your gay bubble, the music world to which you contribute so much of your disposable income is oppressing you. You don’t mind, of course. So long as you can shake your faux-uteruses, youre happy. So long as Kylie or Britney or Madonna are singing in their high-pitched Auto-Tuned voices to beats that go along with your drug use, you’re happy.
You’re the eternal self-oppressed class who enjoys being oppressed, so long as the music is playing.
jeffinsydney
What a moronic, dividing, uneducated, hate based question!!
Who or what kind of people work at Queerty?
Say?nara
You All!
Unsubscribed to this p.o.s. publication.
jimbryant
Another disturbing trend in the last couple of decades is this growth in the commercially successful “bisexual” female performer who is told to promote herself on the porny “bisexual” female model. Madonna started it.
Their videos are like soft-porn clips where the female performers surround themselves with other half-naked women. It’s like watching strippers in a straight man’s bar.
The most truly hilarious – and, indeed disturbing – scene I ever saw in a gay bar was a bunch of gay guys sitting around drinking and trying to pick up other guys while images of half-naked women flashed on the TV monitors. I think it was a Britney video.
It’s a measure of how dysfunctional gay men have become. If your own gay bars like to show music videos that depict half-naked women while you try to pick up other men, something is strange.
highjump
Why does one have to be at the expense of the other? Queerty, you only need look at your own coverage – you could choose to provide equal time to everyone. Sheesh.
LilMesican
Oh, yes, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are great, and I appreciate the support but… Have we forgotten Melissa Ethridge, KD Lang, Boy George, Elton John, George Michael, Ricky Martin, Clay Aiken, Adam Lambert, Freddy Mercury, RuPaul and so many others that have in their own way gone through the doors.
All of these have been, in their own way, advocates for the LGBTQ Community.
michaelpodell
http://thoughtcatalog.com/michael-podell/2014/01/my-love-is-not-the-same-love-and-that-is-fine-with-me/
jimbryant
LilMesican,
Most of the men in your list were NOT out when they had their hits. They hid their sexuality in order to remain commercially successful. Once they came out, their careers went downhill.
gjg64
What a stupid question. An artist makes the effort to support us and some people complain it’s not good enough. Talk about spoiled brats.
TheMarc
@jimbryant: First of, why is someone who has such a problem with gays on THIS site in the first place. And you obviously do. And your statement was that, in a nutshell, that there have been no gays on the charts and women won’t buy music made by gay men. I didn’t say he had them this year. But I will point you to his concert sales. And plenty of women, men and even children have purchased his music since his coming out. So you’re wrong on both counts. And what is this “torch for freedom.” Exactly where did you find this phrase in my response?? And what is a faux uterus? And please explain how the music industry is oppressing gays? Quite frankly I think anyone that uses the term faux-uterus to describe gay men is doing a pretty good amount of oppressing and marginalizing the gay community themselves.
FYI…I do LOVEE Madonna and Kylie, and occasionally Britney; but unfortunately for your generalizing sensibilities, I don’t do drugs. Neither do my friends…and a lot of them are gay. And I’ll stop you before you start…I also don’t wear leather chaps, talk in high pitch, have a lisp and am not a hairdresser.
RandallSM
It is not a stupid question, and QUEERTY isn’t the first to pose it.
LeNair Xavier
@tazz602: It’s not an idiotic question, or premise at all. For it is EXACTLY what is happening.
When LOGO first started I was awakened and amazed by the number of LGBT artists (INCLUDING HIP-HOP) there are out there tackling various issues affecting us. If we can’t name them now it’s because gay media didn’t push them on us as much as they push someone straight gay allies like Macklemore. Another sign how gays in media still look for straight White male validation, before their gay selves (regardless of color or gender) to be their own hero.
And making it all about “sales figures” and “Grammys” is why there is so little REAL talent in the music industry today. The corporate greed of music execs are about making a quick buck today, and not about using talented musicians to incite change. Regardless of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ personal stories, music execs saw the issue of marriage equality being addressed by these 2 good-looking straight White males as a cash cow. Bait for gay shallowness and desperation for validation. So counting money and awards are all about shallow credentials, and none of depth.
Now, with all that said, do I appreciate a straight ally? Yes. But I would rather we’d praise one of our own who have already made the same message FIRST.
jimbryant
Here’s an example of how homophobic the music industry – and, indeed, the young music-buyer – is today. Remember when Katy Perry had a no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with I Kissed A Girl? It was her break-through hit. It spent 7 weeks at no. 1 on Billboard.
Now, replace Katy with a young male singer and the title of the song to I Kissed A Boy. Do you think it would have been commercially successful? Do you think it would even have been played on air? Do you think young music-buyers would have purchased it by the millions?
Think about it – it gives you a clue as to what is going on in society right now. Here’s the short answer to the questions I posed : no.
A lot of you don’t realize this but what is happening in society today is that young people are adopting the bisexual double standard of the porn industry. In this model, it’s OK for a straight girl to say she likes girls but it definitely is not OK for a straight guy to say he likes guys.
Women are turning themselves into bisexual whores for the benefit of straight guys. You gay guys have allowed this to happen by being so tolerant of porn.
boring
Even stripping away the positive message that I think is great, I’ll listen to any regular quote-unquote “homophobic” rapper any day over the week over Macklemore because Macklemore is just bad music.
Some of my favorite bands have gay members, and it’s never been at the forefront and has never mattered, because the focus is on the music.
boring
Well, except for that one Negativland release that was one of the members coming out on a radio show and then taking calls to get reactions from everyday people (circa ’82-’84).
That was Over the Edge Vol. 3: The Weatherman’s Dumb Stupid Come-Out Line. Fascinating stuff.
RandallSM
To flesh-out my point, Macklemore is not using his white, heterosexual privilege to make a point. Even Macklemore had to admit that he “robbed” the more genuine recipient of the best new artist award, though he did it in the mist cowardly way possible; second, being that where he sits right now was made possible by the LGBTQ community, where is his support for our artists? It’s not there.
Again, just one in a very long line of white, heterosexual men whose purpose in life is to be the hero. The savior.
alanj
I think the most disturbing thing in all this is an image of Jim Bryant in a gay bar….. Ewwww
Derek Williams
This is a no-brainer. Without straight allies, we are doomed. At only 5-10% of the population we are at constant risk of the tide of popular opinion swinging back against us, the way it has in Russia where they’re in the process of dismantling all LGBT rights advances, and are about to recriminalise same sex relationships altogether, following the rise of the omnipotent Russian Orthodox Church and an upcoming referendum proposed to do just that. We have no straight allies in Russia, only enemies.
Without straight allies, none of the civil rights advances we’ve made over the past few decades would have been possible. The fact that I for one, appreciate this, doesn’t turn me into an obsequious dependent. On the contrary, straight allies are a part of my everyday life, they are my family and they are my close friends. Alienating this quintessential support base is the most stupid idea I’ve ever heard.
boring
@jimbryant: It might not be #1 material, but Mindless Self Indulgence has been gliding on superficial male bisexuality for 20+ years and making huge money off of it in the process.
RandallSM
Who says anything about alienating? How does support for our own turn into alienating allies?
Derek Williams
@RandallSM: Telling straight allies to butt out is alienation.
RandallSM
@Derek
Oh, OK then! I am all for alienation.
boring
@RandallSM: I find it to be overcompensating for a mediocre product, and ultimately a bit of a cynical move.
You know. Like 99% of most media aimed towards the gay market.
Curtispsf
Seems to me that what Thomas Jefferson had to say about the extension of rights and freedoms to others is appropriate here:
Tis folly to believe that when rights are extended to others that it must be at the expense of those who previously held these rights. Freedom and liberty extended to one does not mean it has been taken from another” – Thomas Jefferson discussing his first draft of the United States Constitution.
Why is it even necessary to ask the question about Macklemore’s success being at the expense of another (LGBT). I will listen and APPLAUD anyone who has something positive to say about freedom, regardless of orientation.
And if Queerty continuous its salacious gossip-rag “probe” of Macklemore as in “did he have pay for gay sex” and how dare a straight man right something positive about equality, I am unsubscribing. Even Perez Hilton has more content.
CCTR
@robirob: @LeNair Xavier: @LilMesican: Applause!!!
I like “Same Love” and have nothing but praise for Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, and Mary Lambert for a great song.
Many that have commented here about the article are inferring that lesser known LGBT hip hop artists are lesser known because their music is lacking in quality, which is not true. I think the critics of Macklemore want to remind us all that there were many out LGBT hip hop artists trying to be heard and get their messages and narratives out with quality music but are denied a platform because of the homophobic music industry. Hopefully this will open the doors for other LGBT hip hop artists but also influence the erasing of homophobia in the music industry!
Derek Williams
@RandallSM: Then you are against LGBT rights. As a tiny minority of merely 5-10% of the population we have zero chance of equality without straight allies who shepherded decriminalization through various houses of representatives across the globe with nothing to gain for themselves and everything to lose.
Take a look at Russia. 80% of the population there favour complete decriminalization of same sex relationships, and with a new referendum being sponsored by the Russian Orthodox Church likely to go ahead, this looks to be a certainty. President Putin has declared he wishes to “cleanse” Russia of gays, and he has the backing of 100% of the Russian Duma to do it. We have no straight allies in Russia, so there’s no-one to alienate there.
Same goes for Nigeria which recently beefed up punishment for homosexual relationships to 14 years incarceration, alongside most of Africa, Malaysia, the Middle East including India which has actually decriminalised homosexuality and has no chance of reversing that with the current political climate.
The fact you say want to intentionally alienate our straight families, friends and political supporters puts you firmly in Uncle Tom’s Cabin. It’s hard enough battling the enemy on the outside when there are so many on the inside doing their darnedest to wind back progress.
Curtispsf
@KDub: I have sung with Matt alber and he is a phenomenally talented musician as well as one heck of a nice guy. I applaud BOTH Matt Alber AND Macklemore and ALL talented people singin about social justice.
Y’all are acting as if there’s a limited amount of talent or good that deserves recognition. Wake the f**k up.
Derek Williams
@CCTR: *India has “REcriminalised” homosexuality (auto correct error)
Derek Williams
@RandallSM: *India has “REcriminalised” homosexuality (auto correct error)
apologies CCTR – reply to wrong post
RandallSM
Yes. Hopefully this white, heterosexual man will open doors for us gays to follow then through, yet again.
Alls I am saying, gentlemen, is don’t stop digging and looking.
Curtispsf
@jimbryant: You actually made sense until your last paragraph.
dougmc92
over praising the undeserving is somethi ng the gay community does ALL THE TIME- Throwing pride oparades for newly out actors who lied/hid out in the closet for years….making a bronze medalist more popular than the guy who won gold…running endless stroies on a guy who has yet to say he’s gay or bi while ignoring out and proud gay boys….kinda sums Queerty up in a nut shell….
RandallSM
Hey, Derek, that allienation-biz was a joke.
Kinda.
Derek Williams
@Derek Williams: @Derek Williams:
* should read REcriminalisation – auto-correct changed it into DEcriminalistion.
CCTR
@Curtispsf: LOL
“Y’all are acting as if there’s a limited amount of talent or good that deserves recognition. Wake the f**k up.”
did you happen to record with Matt Alber?
jimbryant
Derek Williams,
You’ve fallen for the trap which says that male homosexuality exists in only a small, discrete section of the population. Think again.
Male homosexuality isn’t a person, it’s a concept. This concept exists in nearly all men. Yep, nearly all men. That’s why it’s feared so much. That’s why women fear it so much. That’s why laws were made to oppress male homosexual acts. Our ancestors knew that nearly all men would turn to homosexuality in a world that had no laws and no shame.
DShucking
Gay musicians are mostly like christian rockers. They’re usually not very good because they focus on being gay/christian before focusing on the music.
jimbryant
The worst thing the gay male community ever did was to suck on Madonna’s tits. It was the worst thing possible.
Madonna represented the fore-runner of a wave of female performers who use nudity and lesbian antics more than they do their vocal cords. As soon as gay men started to express devotion to Madonna, it started the ball rolling towards a new normal where untalented females could make a successful career from showing lots of skin and pretending to be sexually interested in women.
Are you gay guys happy with what you’ve ended up with now? A whole lot of untalented female singers who go half-naked in their videos, employ other women to go half-naked in their videos, and kiss other women on stage? Are you happy with the straight male-appeasing porn model you’ve helped to develop?
Pistolo
I honestly think Macklemore’s praising is at the expense of all musicians, straight or gay. That song was not well-written, I actually thought it was incredibly trite and sappy. Why oh why must we sanitize everything? Anyways, we’re not just perpetual victims, we’re also rightfully angry people who are just sick of all these goddamn homophobes and don’t need some straight patron saint to endear us to them by feeling sorry for us.
People like him and Gags are allies and whatever but I prefer types like Madonna who essentially just say “F–k you, I’m going to be a force to contend with whether you accept me or not”.
Lvng1tor
YOu could just highlight more queer artists on QUEERTY rather than talk abt M&R again! Yet another wasted bullshit post on Queerty.
jimbryant
Pistolo,
Madonna was not helpful to the gay community. And so what if she says “f..ck you”? Anyone can say it. My grandma can say it.
Madonna is simply using gay men for money in my view.
jar
It’s funny that Queerty poses this question to its readers when it more appropriately should be directed at itself. This site has the ability to introduce its readers to LGBT artists at any time. Isn’t their alleged lack of support something that sits right at Queerty’s doorstep? I cannot support an LGBT artist if I am not exposed to them. Instead, Queerty would rather kick up dirt around Macklemore to generate comments and discord.
The music industry (including radio) has a long history of excluding LGBT perfomers. Yes, we should use our effforts to ensure that talented LGBT artists are given the opportunity to shine. But it is faulty logic to equate praising Macklemore with turning one’s back on GLBT artists. Furthermore, Macklemore’s moment in the spotlight is not the result of LGBT adoration, but his recent grammy wins.
Matt1961
1.) I’m proud of Macklemore, Ryan Lewis and Mary Lambert for their music that has given a popular anthem to marriage equality.
2.) I would be proud of other musicians if they had 1/3 the recognition and focus on them as Macklemore and Ryan Lewis have, and that includes Mary Lambert who’s song own song “She Keeps me Warm” was the basis of the chorus.
We have a tendency, as a community, to embrace celebrity for celebrities sake and for all intents and purposes forget those just outside our media periphery. I know there must be many that deserve our praise and attention, perhaps it’s time to focus on them and their gifts (besides being LGBTQ)
jar
@Pistolo: Pistolo, I assume you are young because Madonna was the biggest hustler of the gay community (and remains one to this day). Madonna did nothing for the gay community; she co-opted our music, experience, and politics for her personal gain. As Joan Baez said at a political rally when asked where’s Bob (Dylan)?: What you mean, where’s Bob? Bob was never there. Same with Madonna.
jar
@RandallSM: I’m not sure I understand your argument. Do you think the artistic value of a piece of work must be tied to politics? When art moves you, is that modified/informed by political issues? In other words, does the fact that an artist is gay affect your aesthetic response? For me, it does not. The political power of art is its ability to speak outside the world of politics. Surely, at least some of your favorite artists are straight, no? If so, how do you reconcile that appreciation with your argument?
KDub
@Curtispsf: Never said you couldn’t applaud both. I’m saying why are the applause always louder for the allies of a cause versus the people that ARE the actual cause??? That’s the problem.
Pistolo
@jimbryant: @jar: Oh please. Both assertions are outrageously incorrect and silly. She was one of the first people to address homophobia in public way that didn’t make victims of us all, she shone the light much more on the idiocy of homophobia. But go listen to Gaga if that’s the way you feel, cause since her songs are just so goshdarn sweet and tart it’ll somehow convince you she isn’t just schilling a crumbling image.
RandallSM
@jar
I think you either misread or I am being too much of a stickler. Most if the bands, artists, etc., I listen to are straight. I mean, some members might be queer, but it’s pretty much a non-issue unless they are a political band.
I do not envy Macklemore one bit. I’m sure he’s a nice guy and all, but he seems unsure of how to handle his privilege; and make no mistake that it is is inherent privilege that’s playing a huge part of getting him where he is. People tend to think of privilege as something that is bad. It isn’t. He can’t help being born straight just as I can’t help being born gay. It is how one acts on that privilege that’s the litmus test, and all I see is just another, privileged guy ignoring that privilege instead of checking it.
Not sure if I answered your question adequately.
SteveDenver
That is such a WISE question, because I can’t praise two, or possibly THREE musicians at one time. You see, as a homosexual, I am not only limited to sex with one gender, but also only adoration for one musician.
RandallSM
But I do HIGHLY agree that Queerty is just one in many gay blogs that do not choose to dig deeper and expose their readers to something different. In that manner, yes, Queerty is ridiculously out of step
ErganeFlood
@RandallSM: While I am with you, I think you are ignoring how many people watch the Grammy’s and how it comments on pop culture and consciousness. I have been listening to gay OUT hip-hop acts for years — starting with Deep Dickollective. The truth is although we know the Grammy’s don’t create the interior of our lives, we have someone like Macklemore saying he is our ally without asking enough of us what we think. I mean, that beginning third of his song is so homophobic, rude and disrespectful that I KNOW that anyone supporting his MUSIC (not the message) is a gay apologist and I have to make room for you so I can not be bothered.
ErganeFlood
@Pistolo: No, Gaga did the same thing with “Born this Way” and Madonna did it, too… thing is… we don’t supoort our OWN community enough. We don’t even make an effort to the way we did in the 90’s when we were starving for a cultural representation of our lives.
ErganeFlood
@DShucking: Right… tell that to Cakes da Killa, Le1f, Mykki Blanco, Johnny Dangerously, hell, even Cazwell.
Derek Williams
@jimbryant: Is this just your idea, or can you adduce peer reviewed empirical research to back up your claim that all men are gay? I’ve Googled at length and can’t find this evidence.
In the meantime, while you’re digging that up, do you agree with those in this thread who say we should not care whether we alienate our straight allies?
ErganeFlood
@caris: I’m biased. I don’t like the song. I find Macklemore’s rapping annoying at best. I find Macklemore’s need to spend about the first third of his rap in Same Love stressing how not gay he is, bothersome.
#####
That is not bias, that is you listening with your ears and not falling for specious rhetorics — because the details matter as much as the big picture.
That beginning put me off, too. I mean, are we, as a community, so enamored with a cute white boy (lol I already know the answer) that we don’t understand we don’t need the support of someone who offers it first by saying, “No homo”?
What is UP with that ish??
And there are cute (white) gay hip-hoppers… and I am CERTAIN a percursory search can find you some talking about gay marriage or at least referencing it. But we follow dominant culture instead of building and feeding our own.
capsule
@dougmc92:
Whoa, youre such a fuckin hypocrite. I know you are the same guy(dougmc92) who was drooling over pictures of half-naked Tom Daley on the Justusboys forum. You are just butthurt right now because Tom is dating someone you don’t like. Grow Up and stop being a fuckin crybaby. Why don’t you create the Matthew Mitcham thread if you want to appreciate his gold medal.
DShucking
@ErganeFlood: None of whom are making very compelling music to listen to. Just naming a handful of obscure gay artists does not disprove my point. With that group, you actually helped.
ErganeFlood
@Derek Williams: Personally, I find my experience as a person of color helps me define my values around allyship.
See, based on what I have read of your argument, I disagree… I don’t think we need het support just to be. Our rights were taken from us illegally and they are simply in process of correcting a centuries long error they made. I don’t think groveling for their support aids that as much as appealing to their sense of justice.
After all, the Stonewall crew who beat up the policemen? They were not apologist and they were not waiting for these vaulted straight allies. Our lives are our own and when the chips come down, we are usually on our own.
Anyway, as a person of color, I have come across many people who say they are an ally to me because they like black people and this and that. What I have found is that an ally is only as useful as they are not advancing the conditions that already make my life hard. Trading on “ghetto tropes” for example, trying to fist bump, asking to touch my hair or offering commentary on whether I am “black enough” in their view. These are not allies I WANT.
And I don’t want a straight ally that spends all this time saying how he’s not gay and going through this process where he realizes… @cue angels — I’m just not into that kinda ally. It seems really self-serving and self-conscious.
DShucking
@ErganeFlood: Supporting the community shouldn’t mean buying music you don’t think is good.
RandallSM
@erganeflood
Are you kidding me? Have you heard any of those artists mentioned, or are you content enough to talk out of your butt.
Checkout Cakes da Killa’s “Goodies.” One of the best qualities I dig about most LGBTQ rappers is that their beats are heavily focused towards the dance floor. Wicked flow, incredible rhythm.
ErganeFlood
@DShucking: True, but my point is that you probably aren’t being exposed to good gay music unless it is in the Top 20 because people are too danged lazy to go get their culture, they wait for it to come to them.
ErganeFlood
@RandallSM: I don’t think we’re understanding each other, but if I was talking outta my butt, the boys would line up to lick it up. Now, yes, I have heard of these artist and if you look thru the comments, you will see that I mention Cakes da Killa, too. *smooch*
DShucking
@ErganeFlood: I’ve always sought out new music but yes, gay artists who start out as gay aren’t mainstream yet and they’re not gonna get there if we buy their music because we feel a sense of obligation to just because they’re gay.
Derek Williams
@ErganeFlood: The reason you have been able to be repressed is the same reason gays can be repressed. You are outnumbered by whites, at least in your country, which I am presuming is USA. Likewise gays are outnumbered by straights 10 to 1.
African Americans make up only 14% of the US population, and gays only 5-10% going by exit polls of openly gay from the last three US Census (2004, 2008, 2012) and adding a few more in for closeted gays. So, if all whites turn against you they can wipe you out, and there is NOTHING you can do. How do you suppose Jews were able to be herded off into concentration camps?
It’s simple mathematics. When you are small guy, you don’t pick on the big guy – you try to reason with him. Better still, have another big guy as an ally and that will speed the negotiations up no end.
It has been by appealing to the sense of fairness and basic human decency of the straight majority, large numbers of whom are our family and friends, that we have been able to overturn laws that placed us the very bottom rung of the ladder of social worth. I cannot see any benefit whatsoever in deliberately alienating such powerful force for good.
ErganeFlood
@Derek Williams: Love, in a large way, that is what is happening institutionally. I know my situation — I live here. I live the experience. Thank you for researching. Since I am educated, I know about the Jews, too. Do you know that there were a lot of Germans who did not believe Jews should be exterminated? Even some were allies to Jews and they went along. When you hear about people doing extraordinary things for the Jews during WWII, it was always someone who didn’t think of themselves as “allies” — they were doing the right thing. They were acting out of a sense of justice.
It seems to me that a lot of gay people would rather praise hets instead of just nod and keep it moving. I live in a state where same-sex marriage is legal and while it’s cool that everyone voted for it, marriage is a right that no one should have had to vote for and I don’t think personally thanking every het person for acting in justice is the right way to thank them. I believe it even cheapens their act.
If it is really a force of good, it doesn’t need to be tended. It doesn’t need slavish apology or sniveling. Why should straight people be congratulated for doing the right thing? Isn’t doing the right thing congratulations itself?
RandallSM
Shit. Ergane! I am horrible at typing/tagging on my phone. That wasn’t meant for you. Sorry!
ErganeFlood
@DShucking: How do you think they are gonna get there? And don’t say by not sucking because a lot of them DON’T suck, but their being gay is less appealing than a pretty white boy saying he’s not gay, but he’s down for same-sex love.
ErganeFlood
@RandallSM: It’s ok, Babe!
DShucking
@ErganeFlood: By not sucking. 🙂 It will happen and it doesn’t need to happen by them starting out in the closet anymore. They just need to up their game and focus on quality and marketing strategy just like everyone else. Don’t worry. We’re on the verge of it not being a career killer, or non-starter. Just enjoy what you enjoy. I’m gonna lose credibility here but some of the gayest music/videos I like have come recently from RuPaul and her satellite crew because I find them very entertaining to watch their videos and listen to their songs in the car, even though they are novelty. CoverGirl, Blurred Bynes, Chow Down, RuPologize. It’s by no means all I listen to.
Derek Williams
@ErganeFlood: I don’t believe in taking things for granted. Over the decades of our fight, our straight allies have much to lose and little to gain by supporting a minority that doesn’t particularly affect their lives.
If someone makes an effort to help me, I thank them. I consider this to be both polite, and smart. Again, I don’t believe in taking things for granted, and while I never advocated snivelling obsequiousness I also think it the height of stupidity to alienate the majority. What benefit does that bring us?
RandallSM
No pity for the majority.
DShucking
@RandallSM: Hopefully you can channel that bitterness into something healthy.
RandallSM
Gays needs to start thinking like all historically marginalized groups: blacks and women never wanted to assimilate; they just want equal rights and protection under the law. Somewhere along the line we figure we need to conform and ask for help. Nah. Screw that.
DShucking
@RandallSM: Start? You need to wake up and realize what decade you’re in.
RandallSM
DShucking, I have! I belong to a large community of artists, filmmakers, and musicians of all and indeterminate identities. Thanks for asking, and if you would like for me to provide you with artists working outside of the mainstream, I would be more than happy to do so.
DShucking
@RandallSM: This remind me of the conversation from This Is The End (Other people liked it which means you don’t.)
Craig: “Hey how you doing man, good to see you.”
Jay: “Likewise, likewise.”
craig: “I’m craig man, this is Emma.”
Jay: “Oh hey, hi there.”
craig: “What, you just in town, visiting?”
Jay: “Yeah, just for a little, little visit you know, I try to not come down here very much you know, like, I don’t love it here.”
Emma: “You don’t like LA?”
Jay: “Just not really into the…LA lifestyle.”
Craig: “What lifestyle are you into?”
Emma: “Look at him, he’s like, he’s like a hipster, right?”
Jay: “No…no! no I’m not a hipster, at all.”
craig: “Yeah, yeah you do seem to hate a lot of things and the bottom of your pants are awful tight.”
Jay: “No, I just don’t like los angeles, that’s all.”
craig: “I bet you hate movies that are universally loved.”
Jay: “I…I don’t even.”
craig: “You like Forrest Gump?”
Jay: “No, no that’s a horrendous piece of shit.”
Emma: “Life is like a box of chocolates, no?”
Jay: “Yeah no I’m familiar with it.”
craig (distraught): “…you never know what you’re gonna get.”
RandallSM
Ah, “hipster!” The universal ad hominem towards someone when uses critical thinking. Well, I am a HUGE Simon Pegg fan, but you are correct in that I haven’t seen his latest. And, yeah, I do have a critical ear when it comes to music, and you should too.
Also, I like mainstream, popular stuff. There is room for everything. Kinda.
RandallSM
To be clear: I am not a hipster. Throwing that word around is tantamount to calling someone “emo,” it’s an empty, useless word.
DShucking
@RandallSM: I like everything but I notice a pattern with you. You are so desperate to demonstrate how independent and in-tune you are with everything cool and underground that you have to log bombs at others suggesting they don’t. You don’t know that I don’t have a critical ear when it comes to music but you say so to enforce the notion that you do. That’s not critical thinking, that’s pretension. And ad hominem attacks? Please look at your own comments to see plenty of that. What you like is largely dependant upon who else does or doesn’t like it. One day you’ll figure that out but I have a feeling that day is a long way off.
RandallSM
I’m honored that you’ve noticed! 🙂
Lazycrockett
There are plenty of gay artist out there making music today, it just seems that the “community” doesn’t support their music. Its all bout the divas that we go out of our way for, instead of supporting our own.
DShucking
The gay ghettos are becoming a thing of the past for a reason.
moonwalker_jd
Well, I do think this dudes ARE using their stance on gay rights a little bit too much. Not that it’s wrong, but there might be something fishy about it. I mean, if they are not gay, why gay rights and not animal rights? What is their reasoning behind their stance apart from the fact that it IS a stance, that’s what I’m asking.
moonwalker_jd
*these
ErganeFlood
@RandallSM: “Gays needs to start thinking like all historically marginalized groups: blacks and women never wanted to assimilate; they just want equal rights and protection under the law. Somewhere along the line we figure we need to conform and ask for help. Nah. Screw that.”
i have to agree with this…
florence stewart
What Linda responded I’m blown away that someone can profit $7972 in 4 weeks on the internet? Have you seen this page>>> http://x.co/3m9KX
cutestqueerdino
Yes. Clearly. It’s simply ridiculous how many queers seem to think that anything he is doing is remotely innovative. He is not, as Ellen said, the first Hip Hop artist to sing about our marriage rights. Or about queer issues in general. Azealia Banks. Deadlee. Tori Fixx.
Voices ontop of voices are drowned out by this white, heterosexual make who thought he was gay because he could draw. Mary Lambert had a minimum appearance. A queer woman. Haggerty is profiting from using our struggles to tell a story he knows *nothing* about, counting with straight, white, cis privilege as he does.
He is not deserving of such praise and such recognition above other queer artists. Why isn’t Melange Lavonne getting praise. Hip Hop is not a hateful genre. Queer hip hop existed way before white, entitled men jumped into it, thinking they’re the best that has happened. He is not us. He does not know us. He cannot talk about our stories and think we’re going to thank him for making a single issue visible.
We can do that. Our singers and writers and columnists. You have all these magazines writing page upon page, and these celebrities getting behind him as though he is the voice of the queer community.
He is not. I find his arrogance offensive and the fact that he thinks we owe him anything.
We do not.
And, we have all the help we need. We can get things done ourselves before some cishet saviour comes to our aide and profits from our lives.
We do not need that. We need to make other artists visible. Actual queer people. With actual contributions to the whole community. Who talk about all kinds of discrimination. Marriage isn’t the only issue affecting us. It’s also not the most significant.
I could go on. But for now, I’ve said what needed saying.
dougmc92
@capsule: why don’t you go to that place and see when the last time dougmc posted on the Tom Daley thread- itr was over a month ago…and if you read the posts after 2012, you’ll see they were not positive about Tom….you are BEYOND clueless!
DShucking
In this day and age there is no reason for gay people to be this bitter.
xzall
@cutestqueerdino: You should consider that Macklemore had the number one Billboard song of the year with Thrift Shop. He was the number one played artist for Spotify. That means he has a much bigger voice than the artists you list.
Thrift Shop is what made Macklemore famous. Then he had another number one song in Can’t Hold Us. Both those songs is what gave Macklemore the audience he had so he was not riding the coattails of the Queer movement to become famous. He was already selling millions of records by the time he released Same Love. Same Love did well but did not crack the top 10 at Billboard. It stalled at number 11.
When you have a popular artist with a message song, then of course he’s going to reach more people than the artist you list. And you need to consider he’s speaking at that point more to HIS audience and HIs fans more than to you who knows what it’s like to LGBT. His audience, probably made up of many people who never even think about Queer people, or Gay rights and some of whom were totally indifferent to the issue before. Most of us are self centered and only care about our own issues so If he made them even consider the plight of someone else is accomplishing something. If he made even one person change their minds about ENDA, marriage equality or anything else that’s unfortunately still Voted on, he’s accomplished something.
To get your voice heard through the celebrity clutter you need to be famous for something first whether it’s to have a hit record or to twerk like Miley. And whether you like or not, it’s not Macklemore that’s keeping those artists you list from being famous or having their voices heard. The real goal is always to lift up the artists in the community and have them speak for themselves. That’s what the advocacy is all about. You just don’t need to shut down your allies to do that. You don’t need to treat them as if they’re Brian Brown or NOM or a hate group who deserve all your contempt.
Richjr42
c@xzall:
They,actually,have done quite well on R&B/Rap radio.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macklemore_discography
jar
@RandallSM: Thanks for your response. I don’t adopt the privilege meme as I find it too facile and ineffective to be of any use. Frankly, I can’t wait until this fad passes.
RandallSM
@jar
Please forgive me if I am being presumptive, but in my experience, it is only straight, white men who feel as you do. Being that you’re posting in the Comments section of a gay blog, I’ll cut my losses and just presume you’re a white guy. That’s awesome! I dig white guys. A lot. The thing is, though, many of you seem to have grown tired with people who don’t get to take advantage of your privilege pointing it out to you. Believe me, man, I would as well! However, good lord, if that was the only thing I had to deal with, I would be more awesome than I already am!
This article, written by a white person, mind you, eloquently explains what I fumble often. Check it out:
http://occupywallstreet.net/story/explaining-white-privilege-broke-white-person
RandallSM
Fucking commapalooza up there! Sorry about that; hope it reads clearly.
pauleky
No.
jar
@RandallSM: It is disappointing that all you have to offer in defense of the “privilege” framework (a defense you chose to offer) is to categorize me in what is intended to be an unflattering light. This is the privilege tautology: if you don’t agree with me it’s because you cannot handle the fact that I am right. Surely, you can see how illogical, self-serving, and ultimately ineffective that is, no? Your first critical error is assuming that if one does not use the same framework as you that one must be insensitive to fighting inequity. Sadly, the self-satisfied sophists cannot perceive other approaches. I find the classic consciousness-raising approach to be the most effective methodology. It is the approach, for example, that has brought the gay community to its current position in our society. The privilege framework only satisfies the needs of some to assert an undeserved sense of moral superiority, while at the same time unknowingly reinforcing the very structures and class of people that thrive from their actual privilege. Hopefully, your thinking will eventually evolve to a point at which you can contemplate and even accept that there is more than one way to battle injustice.
JDean
gay musicians? Like who? Personally I can’t think of 1
All I see on youtube are near naked queens sashaying about how fabulous they are.
RandallSM
@jar
OK.
Andrew Yang
Personally I do not think it matters once the individual is supporting the cause. The pie is big enough for everyone to enjoy a slice.