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cherry-pop-soda · 1 year ago

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okay but does anyone listen to bronski beat and does anyone GET IT. they released an album, completely unashamedly gay, in the 80s, during the AIDS crisis, during a time of insanely rampant homophobia and over the top conservatism. they released an album with the age of consent for homosexual activity in every european country listed on the sleeve and the phone number for a legal advice hotline for queer people etched into the grooves of the vinyl. they released an album with the opening track dedicated to a hate crime victim, featuring vocals from an openly gay choir. they released an album with songs about homophobic violence, the dangers of following the bible too closely, about leaving behind everything you know and starting over, about homophobic family and homophobic bullying. they wrote about being gay and being proud of it and knowing that there is nothing wrong with who you are. in the face of all the hatred going on in the 80s they released an album that was in-your-face gay and fuck-you queer, and i love them for it.

(see original tags for a lot more commentary)

#bronski beat #for reference : the album is The Age Of Consent #the man the opening track “Why ?” was dedicated to was Drew Griffiths (who according to wikipedia was a #playwright who was victim to a homophobic murder in 1984)#and the choir was The Pink Singers (an openly gay men’s choir in London)#and like yeah. i know this very much centers gay men HOWEVER . considering everything like the time period and #how songs that would’ve been lesbian (see: Voices Carry by Til Tuesday) being basically straight-washed. and also how rampant homophobia wa #(so getting anything even a little gay released was hard bc it was likely to get smashed down by record stores and companies and #radio stations and music reviewers. and us ones particularly )#in this case i don’t care whatsoever and besides they did something absolutely monumental for the whole community if you ask me #as a lesbian i am literally so grateful that this exists and i wasn’t even alive at the time. even now it makes me feel seen.#i cant even imagine what it would’ve been like for a queer kid in the 80s to hear that and maybe know they weren’t alone #so in conclusion: bronski beat i love you forever and jimmy somerville i love you forever

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