Great piece. I knew about Somerville’s activism and was following what he and Bronski Beat/Communards were doing at the time, but somehow missed the whole LGSM thing. Thanks for enlightening me.
Thanks Dan. It made me a little emotional to think about these two very different groups of people with seemingly little in common move mountains together. If only we could all stop fighting each other and face the real enemies of oppression together.
I also didn't know the story of the LGSM, and only slightly recall the film Pride. I am going to try and watch that this weekend. I didn't realize that Neil Tennant didn't come out until 10 years into their career (just read your Pet Shop Boys piece a moment ago as well). I assumed he and Lowe were out, based on their songs and their collaborations with other artists. Reading about queerbaiting, makes me think back to when I was a super awkward straight boy and would go dancing at the clubs on gay night with my friends (I don't remember any gay clubs - only clubs that had 'gay nights', though there must have been?). Bronski Beat, Pet Shop Boys, Softcell, FGTH (and I was going to add Erasure, but they came a little later) dominated the soundtrack and I loved it all. I never felt like I was appropriating, or pretending to be someone I wasn't (though I was so unsure who I was). I simply loved dancing and getting out of my self-hating head. Thanks for this and all your impeccably written pieces.
Thank you for this piece of your history Steve. It doesn’t sound at all like appropriation to me that you were a supportive friend and comfortable enough in your own skin to go to gay nights at a time when it might’ve been dangerous to do so. Sexuality isn’t cut and dry and exploration is an important (and often repressed) part of life. Appreciation becomes appropriation when there’s no reciprocity or allyship beyond the novelty of trying on someone else’s life.
Thanks for this lovely piece. I was aware of Pride and vaguely familiar with the story but never seen the movie. I plan on rectifying that shortly.
The sort of solidarity reflected in the actions of LGSM and the NMU terrify the powers that be, those that wish to keep the status quo in play. The shame is that the divide and conquer strategy employed by those in power continues to be exercised and continues to work. In so many different realms and against so many marginalized groups.
I grew up in (and continue to live in) a deeply homophobic country. The level of homophobia may no longer be as broad but in some areas it certainly remains as deep. The decriminalization of sex between adult males only took place in the 1990s (with a disparate age of consent). And we were the first (and only?) country in the world to legalize gay marriage and then have our government fight all the way to the UK Privy Council to once again make it illegal.
I remember how hard hitting that Smalltown Boy video was for me. Because I didn’t know any gay people growing up (well of course I did in hindsight) I had not an inkling of what their lived experience might look like (my god, the privilege of never having to think about that at all). That video broke me a little bit and was a starting point for me to begin questioning everything I’d been “learning” from my family, my friends, my school, and my community.
Your sense of empathy is truly beautiful Mark. And I hope you enjoy the movie. It’s funny and heartwarming (it’s got a very Billy Madison or Kinky Boots vibe) but I found myself sobbing through half of it.
My family watched Pride a few years ago and we all loved it. We live in the U.S. - a cross-cultural alliance like that would have been unthinkable here in the 80s. I grew-up with friends who remained closeted in the 80s and suffered when they came out. And I have a 12 yr old-trans son, who is living a happy, fulfilling life, thankfully. This piece really touched me. Thank you.
I'm so glad I found your newsletter. I value your perspective and learn so much from you about the songs and the bands I grew up with. Also, I didn't realize the Orville Peck cover I have on one of my playlists was a cover, so thank you for introducing me to the song writer.
I look forward to watching the Pride movie with my family.
Great piece. I knew about Somerville’s activism and was following what he and Bronski Beat/Communards were doing at the time, but somehow missed the whole LGSM thing. Thanks for enlightening me.
Thanks Dan. It made me a little emotional to think about these two very different groups of people with seemingly little in common move mountains together. If only we could all stop fighting each other and face the real enemies of oppression together.
100 percent with you. It’s an incredibly moving story, not to mention a totally actionable lesson. ✊🏼
Thank you for taking one of my favorite songs and peeling back so many layers of context for Somerville and the music itself. Fabulous storytelling. 💙
Orville Peck released an amazing cover of Smalltown Boy last year. Definitely recommend checking it out.
That Orville Peck cover is spectacular isn’t it?!
I 💙 it so, so much.
I also didn't know the story of the LGSM, and only slightly recall the film Pride. I am going to try and watch that this weekend. I didn't realize that Neil Tennant didn't come out until 10 years into their career (just read your Pet Shop Boys piece a moment ago as well). I assumed he and Lowe were out, based on their songs and their collaborations with other artists. Reading about queerbaiting, makes me think back to when I was a super awkward straight boy and would go dancing at the clubs on gay night with my friends (I don't remember any gay clubs - only clubs that had 'gay nights', though there must have been?). Bronski Beat, Pet Shop Boys, Softcell, FGTH (and I was going to add Erasure, but they came a little later) dominated the soundtrack and I loved it all. I never felt like I was appropriating, or pretending to be someone I wasn't (though I was so unsure who I was). I simply loved dancing and getting out of my self-hating head. Thanks for this and all your impeccably written pieces.
Thank you for this piece of your history Steve. It doesn’t sound at all like appropriation to me that you were a supportive friend and comfortable enough in your own skin to go to gay nights at a time when it might’ve been dangerous to do so. Sexuality isn’t cut and dry and exploration is an important (and often repressed) part of life. Appreciation becomes appropriation when there’s no reciprocity or allyship beyond the novelty of trying on someone else’s life.
Thanks for this lovely piece. I was aware of Pride and vaguely familiar with the story but never seen the movie. I plan on rectifying that shortly.
The sort of solidarity reflected in the actions of LGSM and the NMU terrify the powers that be, those that wish to keep the status quo in play. The shame is that the divide and conquer strategy employed by those in power continues to be exercised and continues to work. In so many different realms and against so many marginalized groups.
I grew up in (and continue to live in) a deeply homophobic country. The level of homophobia may no longer be as broad but in some areas it certainly remains as deep. The decriminalization of sex between adult males only took place in the 1990s (with a disparate age of consent). And we were the first (and only?) country in the world to legalize gay marriage and then have our government fight all the way to the UK Privy Council to once again make it illegal.
I remember how hard hitting that Smalltown Boy video was for me. Because I didn’t know any gay people growing up (well of course I did in hindsight) I had not an inkling of what their lived experience might look like (my god, the privilege of never having to think about that at all). That video broke me a little bit and was a starting point for me to begin questioning everything I’d been “learning” from my family, my friends, my school, and my community.
Your sense of empathy is truly beautiful Mark. And I hope you enjoy the movie. It’s funny and heartwarming (it’s got a very Billy Madison or Kinky Boots vibe) but I found myself sobbing through half of it.
My family watched Pride a few years ago and we all loved it. We live in the U.S. - a cross-cultural alliance like that would have been unthinkable here in the 80s. I grew-up with friends who remained closeted in the 80s and suffered when they came out. And I have a 12 yr old-trans son, who is living a happy, fulfilling life, thankfully. This piece really touched me. Thank you.
I'm so glad I found your newsletter. I value your perspective and learn so much from you about the songs and the bands I grew up with. Also, I didn't realize the Orville Peck cover I have on one of my playlists was a cover, so thank you for introducing me to the song writer.
I look forward to watching the Pride movie with my family.