A gay metal band might be necessary to bring happenings into the light, good or bad. For LGBTQ, nothing is more relieving yet overwhelming than coming out of the closet. When a random school teacher comes out as gay, a few people might be up in arms. The school board might have a few conservatives who feel it's unbecoming. However, when a metal band or one of the singers comes out of the closet, it's a lot of criticism and applause in one.
A gay metal band boasts characteristics that few men and women find extremely attractive. These traits usually highlight a persona most women find a masculine, i.e., machismo and don't-care-attitude. That said, gay men find it alluring, enticing, seductive, and alpha male caliber to be rock superstar and gay. The combination is enough to make any AroundMen gay man weak in the knees, especially when said artists, or several of them, decide to play for the other team.
Gay Heavy Metal – Queer Tunes?
Gay tunes are lovely, and we've been enjoying them for decades now. These are nothing homosexual. The word gay refers to lively jams, which is how being gay, i.e., lively came to be. For homosexuals, gay heavy metal is the closest thing to a liberated form of expression. Being gay, in this case, involves being bubbly with a little bit of femininity and a dash of emotion.
Being yourself and gender non-conforming is a beautiful thing. When a gay heavy metal band does the honors and becomes your activist group, they are a godsend. Groups in England and America have long been the platform for LGTQs to be heard, and they are not stopping anytime soon. Gay heavy metal portrays a few elements of gay dating you might not be aware of.
For starters, several bands have made chains and leather straps fashionable as Rock Music attire, but this is also associated with BDSM. Nonetheless, there is no history of these leather garments ever being incorporated into gay music as an allusion to BDSM. Rock music was always portrayed as the most hardcore form of machismo, specifically of a heterosexual type.
Of far more significance is the fact that rock music plays a significant role in advocating for LGBTQ rights. The genre's reach is stronger than any straight-laced music group, be it pop, rap, or classical music. Check out a few gay heavy metal artists with your match made on AroundMen that have made an impact and continue to make waves worldwide.
Sir Elton John
He epitomizes rock music, with hit song after hit song but more so, his poise and status as a revered and respected artist. Elton John is not without controversy, but he hits home in subtle ways. For instance, he performed with a known gay-basher or the simply insensitive artist known as Slim Shady (Marshall Mathers) a few years back. Quite confusing, or maybe not because everybody knows Elton John is a quintessential gay artist – loving, honest, and all about human rights. Elton John remains one of the prominent figures in gay rights and progression, being married to a loving husband and a father to adopted kids.
Rob Halford
A lead man in what might be one of the strongest heavy metal bands of all time, he came out during the nineties. With no regrets then and none after that, he said it was the most liberating experience ever. It is precisely what his idols hope they can achieve someday - a way out of their closeted situations and free, with no reservations. From the group Judas Priest, Rob became one of the most prolific figures in the LGBTQ community after letting the world of his sexuality. Whether or not the world shares the same sentiments remains to be seen.
David Bowie
Does anyone have undeniable evidence that David Bowie was indeed gay? Stardust came to be in 1972, with the world literally at their feet celebrating heavy metal. It never came as a surprise to fans that David got hitched to women at some point, even having kids. However, his style of dress, quite showy and uncaring, was respected and the envy of hundreds if not thousands of gay men. According to sources, David Bowie is alleged to have slept with Mick Jagger or had an affair, or both. Whatever - the point is, he became and remains an icon to LGBTQs worldwide.
Gay Heavy Metal Musicians – Rocking the World Differently
Here's an AroundMen overview highlighting how homophobic the world has been toward the gay community, including rock stars who professed hatred for the cause.
- Guns and roses was a popular band during the seventies and eighties. At some point, some of the lyrics were hate-based and focused on demeaning gays. One verse read Immigrants and faggots," Rose screamed, "they make no sense to me/they come to our country and think they'll do as they please." These words are from their popular hit One in a Million.
- The world is conforming and confirming that gays have a rightful place on earth, right? Wrong! As recently as 2013, a group is known as For Today called out homosexuals, stating gay Christians are a non-entity. It is only part of the continuing homophobic slurs present in modern-day music and society at large.
So what do gay heavy metal musicians have to offer the LGBTQ community today? Everything that gay heavy metal stands for is about liberation. Since the early days of heavy metal, their music hasn't experienced much conformity in years past.
Gay heavy metal musicians continue to advocate for gay rights simply by embracing several homosexual traits into the genre. Heavy metal music boasts unconventional ideas by default, so it is easy to see how easily it embraces homosexuality.
Billie Joe Armstrong
This artist's ideas are somewhat controversial, but so is the entire homosexual community, right? Humor aside, the artist believes he has always been bi and that everyone (yes, all of us) are created or born as bisexuals. Equally fascinating is his belief that parents play a significant role in how we perceive ourselves or what gender becomes prominent. An artist and front man for Green Day, he unequivocally stated in a 1992 interview that he always felt somehow, as in a bisexual way. Years later, other lead men in several heavy metal bands are holding the torch high.
Pete Shelley
Speaking of front men, this homely-looking fellow came out as bisexual to stuff magazine years back. It turns out he'd written multiple songs about rendezvous with men and always felt bisexual. He, however, repeatedly stated he played for all teams, thus was non-conforming or subscribing to only one sexual orientation. From the heavy metal group Buzzcocks, this is another fine example of heavy metal riding high on fame and using that clout to advocate for human rights.
Of his encounters with men, no one knows too much, nor does he seem willing to speak on one orientation or one person.
Doug Pinnick
In true rock and heavy metal fashion, it turns out this heavy metal superstar was agnostic to begin with. How this information is relevant is based on his coming-out party. When Dug decided it was time to let the world know of his homosexual traits, Christian shops weren't happy. In true Christian spirit, they removed all of the singer's materials in their stores, leaving the singer unperturbed in his ways. Dug was part of the King's X group and made his revelation in 1998, to the pleasure of fans everywhere and the distaste of some. Rock stores truly exemplify what it is to be liberated.
Gay Heavy Metal Musicians – What's in Store for the Music World?
Gay heavy metal inspires change in the hearts of many, beginning with homophobes and rock stars themselves. The idea that a young man can listen to his favorite artist come out and be inspired is motivating enough. Even when online dating, people might find a platform to engage in a way that brings like-mindedness to the forefront. In this way, queer boys can listen to Dug, David Bowie, and Elton John and feel as deserving of equal rights as everyone else. This genre is responsible for a lot more than they can ever handle. Between LGBTQ rights receiving little attention in every presidency worldwide, gay-bashing, and homophobia going unpunished, the world deserves an overhaul in the human rights department.
Gay Metal Fans Are the Best
The coolest and most interesting thing about rock music is it attracts followers of all genres, not just rock music. This genre brings together communities with borderline unorthodox or unconventional tendencies and tells them they are okay. Gay metal fans are a far cry from local global perceptions. They are indeed clean, highly intelligent, and friendly people eternally grateful that this genre decided to embrace a marginalized community. Gay metal fans are the best for several reasons.
They are honest in how they feel regarding their idols. A gay man will rarely lie about liking a musician simply to get a selfie with them. Their honesty is drawn from the fact they appreciate and can relate to the sentiments shared. Gay metal fans come out in true, homosexually liberated fashion. If you host a show, they will show up in drag or dress at the party. Others will be sure to kiss their crush several times while hitting on others to have the time of their lives.
Gay metal fans never leave an artist confused whether or not fans were pleased. Artists are left wondering if they did enough. A gay couple at a heavy metal artist's performance decided to thank you for freeing them. A spouse had never called his hubby… his hubby but managed to declare it publicly at the concert. These are the type of sentiments that leave artists the world over yearning to keep advocating for gay rights. Incidentally, a song called metal is gay.
Find time to visit concerts honoring these peeps, or enjoy their playlists online with a partner. Many of these concerts offer free access, similar to AroundMen dating profiles. Gays and activist groups gain plenty from the heavy metal world, and with metal fans offering global support, LGBTQs might be well on their way to recognition.
