'They jt wanted to silence her': the dark si of gay stan culture | Mic | The Guardian

Contents:

• GAY MEN AND FEMALE POP STARS: A SENSATNAL SYMBSIS FOR THE DIGAL {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}NEWSBY MICHAEL JENSENSEPTEMBER 20, 2010/4:32 PMBY MICHAEL JENSENSEPTEMBER 20, 2010 / 4:32 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"GAY MEN AND FEMALE POP STARS: A SENSATNAL SYMBSIS FOR THE DIGAL AGE","DATEPUBLISHED":"2010-09-20T20:32:41.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2010-09-20T20:32:41.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"MICHAEL JENSEN","KEYWORDS":"THE BACKLOT","ARTICLESECTN":"NEWS"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AS A GENERAL LE, THE GAY MUNY LOV SOME FEMALE POP STARS. THIS MAY E OM INTIFITN WH STRONG, FEME INS, OR JT THE LOVE OF A GOOD BEAT AND EXCELLENT VOLS. AND THE ARRIVAL OF THE DIGAL AGE HAS BROUGHT A WAVE OF SOCIETAL TOLERANCE AS WELL AS TOOLS FOR GAYS TO PROCLAIM BOTH THEIR SEXUALY AND THEIR FANDOM. SPECIFILLY, REMAKG MIC VIOS BY CERTA FEMALE POP {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}REMAKE OF MILEY CYS' "PARTY THE USA" AS "PARTY THE FIP"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT'S A FALSE STEREOTYPE THAT ALL GAY MEN LOVE TO PERFORM. FOR THAT MATTER, NOT ALL DUS WHO LIPSYNCH ONT OF A MERA ARE GAY. BUT IF YOU FD YOURSELF RERDG A SHOT-FOR-SHOT REMAKE OF A CHRISTA AGUILERA VIO ... MAYBE REEVALUATE YOUR SEXUAL PREFERENC. I'M JT SAY'.{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE AMATR REMAK OF POPULAR MIC VIOS (WHAT WE POST-BE KD REWD SOCIETY SOMETIM REFER TO AS SWEDG) ARE A TREND THAT SEEMS PECIALLY STRONG AMONG THOSE THE GAY MUNY. SONGS LIKE KATY PERRY'S “CALIFORNIA GURLS” AND JT ABOUT ANYTHG BY LADY GAGA PRACTILLY SEEM SIGNED TO BE JUXTAPOSED WH DANCG GUYS IFED HAIRCUTS AND SPEEDOS, AND PEOPLE LIKE RYAN JAM YEZAK SEEM TO BE ENTIRELY GNIZANT OF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}YEZAK HAS PRACTILLY MA A REER OUT OF MAKG ELABORATE, CHOREOGRAPHED GAY VERSNS OF MIC VIOS. SKIM THROUGH HIS YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND YOU'LL FD A BEVY OF FEMALE POP STAR RENDNS CLUDG BRNEY SPEARS AND KE${BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT YEZAK'S WORK IS JT THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG. OTHER GAY FANS HAVE TAKEN UPON THEMSELV TO RERD THEIR OWN VERSNS OF TAYLOR SWIFT'S “YOU BELONG WH ME,” MILEY CYS'S “PARTY THE USA,” AND MANY OTHERS. ONE LIP DUB TO LILLY ALLEN'S “F*CK YOU” EVEN RPORAT MULTIPLE YOUTUBERS A MASSIVE LLABORATN THAT CELEBRAT ALLEN'S VRLIC PRO-TOLERANCE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE GAY VERSN OF LILY ALLEN'S "F*CK YOU"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}YEZAK'S NEWT VIO FOR KARY PERRY'S “PEACK” HAS ACTUALLY BEEN RPORATED TO HER VIRAL MARKETG MPAIGN AS HER PEOPLE REACHED OUT TO AFTERELTON TO TOUT THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}VERSN OF “PEACK.” MEANWHILE, LADY GAGA EVEN GAVE SPECIFIC THANKS TO HER GAY FANS FOR REMAKG “BAD ROMANCE” AT THE RECENT MTV VIO MIC AWARDS. THE FACT THAT SHE WAS WEARG A GOLN FEATHER MOHAWK AT THE TIME DON'T MAKE THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT ANY LS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT'S NOT EXACTLY A SECRET THAT THERE'S SOME SORT OF MYSTER, SEPARABLE NNECTN BETWEEN SGG LADI AND THE GAYS, AND WHILE THAT HASN'T CHANGED SCE THE HEYDAYS OF CHER, LIZA, BARBRA AND BETTE, THE WAY THAT GAYS EXPRS THEIR NER FANBOY FELY HAS. AND THE EVOLUTN OF GAY MIC FANDOM REFLECTS A POSIVE CHANGE SOCIETY'S ACCEPTANCE OF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE GAY VERSN OF TAYLOR SWIFT'S "YOU BELONG WH ME" {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}EARLIER GENERATNS CELEBRATED THEIR FAVORE DIVAS WH DRAG PERFORMANC THE SECLUD HAVEN OF GAY BARS. THIS CERTALY STILL TAK PLACE TODAY, BUT AS SOCIETY HAS BEE MORE TOLERANT (TO AN EXTENT, EVEN RECEPTIVE) TOWARDS GAY CULTURE, GAY FANS HAVE BEE FORTABLE ENOUGH TO PUT THEIR APPRECIATN FOR FEMALE POP MIC (AND BY ASSOCIATN, THEIR SEXUALY) ON DISPLAY FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD TO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MEANWHILE, POP STARS SEEM TO HAVE UGHT ON TO A SIMPLE FACT THAT MANY OF FIGURED OUT YEARS AGO: VIRAL VIO IS HELLA POWERFUL, AND ARTISTS WOULD DO WELL TO EMBRACE FAN NTENT AND NOT SUPPRS . {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ANKLY, KATY PERRY IS LUCKY TO HAVE SO MANY GAY FANS WILLG TO OVERLOOK CERTA LYRIL CHOIC, NOT TO MENTN HER IA OF HOW TO E THE WORD “GAY” AS A PUTDOWN OF DUS WHO REJECTED HER HIGH {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SO CHEERS TO GAGA, ALLEN AND ALL THE RT FOR DONATG JT A TY OUNCE OF THE SPOTLIGHT TO FANBOYS,{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AND FOR REALIZG THAT IMATN REALLY IS THE MOST SCERE FORM OF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS
• 'THEY JT WANTED TO SILENCE HER': THE DARK SI OF GAY STAN CULTURE

GAY MEN AND FEMALE POP STARS: A SENSATNAL SYMBSIS FOR THE DIGAL {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}NEWSBY MICHAEL JENSENSEPTEMBER 20, 2010/4:32 PMBY MICHAEL JENSENSEPTEMBER 20, 2010 / 4:32 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"GAY MEN AND FEMALE POP STARS: A SENSATNAL SYMBSIS FOR THE DIGAL AGE","DATEPUBLISHED":"2010-09-20T20:32:41.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2010-09-20T20:32:41.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"MICHAEL JENSEN","KEYWORDS":"THE BACKLOT","ARTICLESECTN":"NEWS"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AS A GENERAL LE, THE GAY MUNY LOV SOME FEMALE POP STARS. THIS MAY E OM INTIFITN WH STRONG, FEME INS, OR JT THE LOVE OF A GOOD BEAT AND EXCELLENT VOLS. AND THE ARRIVAL OF THE DIGAL AGE HAS BROUGHT A WAVE OF SOCIETAL TOLERANCE AS WELL AS TOOLS FOR GAYS TO PROCLAIM BOTH THEIR SEXUALY AND THEIR FANDOM. SPECIFILLY, REMAKG MIC VIOS BY CERTA FEMALE POP {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}REMAKE OF MILEY CYS' "PARTY THE USA" AS "PARTY THE FIP"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT'S A FALSE STEREOTYPE THAT ALL GAY MEN LOVE TO PERFORM. FOR THAT MATTER, NOT ALL DUS WHO LIPSYNCH ONT OF A MERA ARE GAY. BUT IF YOU FD YOURSELF RERDG A SHOT-FOR-SHOT REMAKE OF A CHRISTA AGUILERA VIO ... MAYBE REEVALUATE YOUR SEXUAL PREFERENC. I'M JT SAY'.{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE AMATR REMAK OF POPULAR MIC VIOS (WHAT WE POST-BE KD REWD SOCIETY SOMETIM REFER TO AS SWEDG) ARE A TREND THAT SEEMS PECIALLY STRONG AMONG THOSE THE GAY MUNY. SONGS LIKE KATY PERRY'S “CALIFORNIA GURLS” AND JT ABOUT ANYTHG BY LADY GAGA PRACTILLY SEEM SIGNED TO BE JUXTAPOSED WH DANCG GUYS IFED HAIRCUTS AND SPEEDOS, AND PEOPLE LIKE RYAN JAM YEZAK SEEM TO BE ENTIRELY GNIZANT OF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}YEZAK HAS PRACTILLY MA A REER OUT OF MAKG ELABORATE, CHOREOGRAPHED GAY VERSNS OF MIC VIOS. SKIM THROUGH HIS YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND YOU'LL FD A BEVY OF FEMALE POP STAR RENDNS CLUDG BRNEY SPEARS AND KE${BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT YEZAK'S WORK IS JT THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG. OTHER GAY FANS HAVE TAKEN UPON THEMSELV TO RERD THEIR OWN VERSNS OF TAYLOR SWIFT'S “YOU BELONG WH ME,” MILEY CYS'S “PARTY THE USA,” AND MANY OTHERS. ONE LIP DUB TO LILLY ALLEN'S “F*CK YOU” EVEN RPORAT MULTIPLE YOUTUBERS A MASSIVE LLABORATN THAT CELEBRAT ALLEN'S VRLIC PRO-TOLERANCE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE GAY VERSN OF LILY ALLEN'S "F*CK YOU"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}YEZAK'S NEWT VIO FOR KARY PERRY'S “PEACK” HAS ACTUALLY BEEN RPORATED TO HER VIRAL MARKETG MPAIGN AS HER PEOPLE REACHED OUT TO AFTERELTON TO TOUT THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}VERSN OF “PEACK.” MEANWHILE, LADY GAGA EVEN GAVE SPECIFIC THANKS TO HER GAY FANS FOR REMAKG “BAD ROMANCE” AT THE RECENT MTV VIO MIC AWARDS. THE FACT THAT SHE WAS WEARG A GOLN FEATHER MOHAWK AT THE TIME DON'T MAKE THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT ANY LS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT'S NOT EXACTLY A SECRET THAT THERE'S SOME SORT OF MYSTER, SEPARABLE NNECTN BETWEEN SGG LADI AND THE GAYS, AND WHILE THAT HASN'T CHANGED SCE THE HEYDAYS OF CHER, LIZA, BARBRA AND BETTE, THE WAY THAT GAYS EXPRS THEIR NER FANBOY FELY HAS. AND THE EVOLUTN OF GAY MIC FANDOM REFLECTS A POSIVE CHANGE SOCIETY'S ACCEPTANCE OF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE GAY VERSN OF TAYLOR SWIFT'S "YOU BELONG WH ME" {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}EARLIER GENERATNS CELEBRATED THEIR FAVORE DIVAS WH DRAG PERFORMANC THE SECLUD HAVEN OF GAY BARS. THIS CERTALY STILL TAK PLACE TODAY, BUT AS SOCIETY HAS BEE MORE TOLERANT (TO AN EXTENT, EVEN RECEPTIVE) TOWARDS GAY CULTURE, GAY FANS HAVE BEE FORTABLE ENOUGH TO PUT THEIR APPRECIATN FOR FEMALE POP MIC (AND BY ASSOCIATN, THEIR SEXUALY) ON DISPLAY FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD TO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MEANWHILE, POP STARS SEEM TO HAVE UGHT ON TO A SIMPLE FACT THAT MANY OF FIGURED OUT YEARS AGO: VIRAL VIO IS HELLA POWERFUL, AND ARTISTS WOULD DO WELL TO EMBRACE FAN NTENT AND NOT SUPPRS . {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ANKLY, KATY PERRY IS LUCKY TO HAVE SO MANY GAY FANS WILLG TO OVERLOOK CERTA LYRIL CHOIC, NOT TO MENTN HER IA OF HOW TO E THE WORD “GAY” AS A PUTDOWN OF DUS WHO REJECTED HER HIGH {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SO CHEERS TO GAGA, ALLEN AND ALL THE RT FOR DONATG JT A TY OUNCE OF THE SPOTLIGHT TO FANBOYS,{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AND FOR REALIZG THAT IMATN REALLY IS THE MOST SCERE FORM OF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

Osborne told Time magaze Febary that he is gay and has known for years, but he kept a secret bee of untry mic's mostly nservative fan base. Fans may openly embrace a gay Elton John, Melissa Etheridge or Ricky Mart now, but over the past 50 years or more ’s been a stggle for most queer artists to live their liv openly and whout shame and persecutn.

'THEY JT WANTED TO SILENCE HER': THE DARK SI OF GAY STAN CULTURE

His theatril scream-sgg, macho stage prence, and all-around badassery (bt showsed on inic rerds like 1980’s Brish Steel and 1982’s Screamg for Vengeance) prompted many fans to ll him “Metal God:” a tradnally mascule trope Halford boldly upend Febary 1998, when he me out as gay an MTV News terview. As the earlit show of queer solidary om a proment metal mician, Halford’s admissn proved val rhapg the public perceptn of heavy metal, repostg an earspltg, heteronormative boys’ club as a safe space where headbangers of all typ uld be themselv, sheltered the flailg arms of not jt a benevolent (and openly gay) God, but the scene wr large. ” The fact that he did all while beg pletely open about his sexualy – llg himself “rock’s tt fairy” – is astoundg and, for a brief, shg moment 1974, Jobriath beme the most visible gay man popular mic.

While the “Queen of Dis” is a tle most monly btowed upon Donna Summer, also appli to Sylvter, who was a fixture of the dis scene and an in of the gay liberatn movement that spawned out of San Francis. It wasn’t until after hostg var episos of the show for a uple years – which all centered on LGBT issu – that she spoke openly about her partner of over two s and the stggl of beg gay the mic dtry. “I thk the rerd dtry – by and large what’s left of – is still totally homophobic, ” she said, notg that she me out her twenti and never went to “lengths” to nceal .

Brish punk rocker Tom Robson achieved chart succs wh h songs “2-4-6-8 Motorway”, “Up Agast the Wall” and “Don’t Take No for an Answer, ” but he’ll always be immortalized for his sgalong prott anthem, “Glad to be Gay.