Y, Kurt Coba was a gnge in. He was also a gay rights hero. - The Washgton Post

Contents:

• Y, KURT COBA WAS A GNGE IN. HE WAS ALSO A GAY RIGHTS HERO.
• THE 50 BT GAY SONGS TO CELEBRATE PRI ALL YEAR LONG
• 20 BT SONGS ABOUT BEG GAY
• 55 BT GAY SONGS OF ALL TIME (LGBTQ PRI SONGS)
• KURT COBA'S 1993 ADVOTE COVER STORY: 'I'M GAY SPIR'

Y, KURT COBA WAS A GNGE IN. HE WAS ALSO A GAY RIGHTS HERO.

Coba is the Gen X in who popularized alternative mic and culture, but on the 25th anniversary of his ath this week, I cherish another aspect of his legacy much more: his nsistent and vol support of gay rights.

Coba’s “oh well, whatever, never md” attu about sexual inty, exprsed lyrics and terviews, changed the urse of my Coba might not be the first name you thk of when to gay rights, his band was never shy about s polics, pecially where LGBTQ issu were ncerned. In 1992, Nirvana played a “No on #9” benef ncert and issued a public statement opposg Measure 9, a statewi anti-gay cizen ballot iative Oregon that would have required “all ernments” the state to treat homosexualy as “abnormal, wrong, unnatural and perverse.

” And the ler not of their album “Inctici, ” released that December, they warned: “If any of you any way hate homosexuals, people of different lor, or women, please do this one favor for — leave the f--- alone! ” The ler not to their next album, “In Utero, ” echoed that admonn: “If you’re a sexist, racist, homophobe or basilly an a--hole, don’t buy this CD.

THE 50 BT GAY SONGS TO CELEBRATE PRI ALL YEAR LONG

In a 1993 terview wh the Advote, which I remember readg breathlsly a Borrs bookstore wh the ver fold over so no one uld tell what I was holdg, Coba lled himself “gay spir” and revealed that as a teenager, he often qutned his sexualy and sprayed “God is gay” graffi the small town of Aberen, Wash., where he grew up.

20 BT SONGS ABOUT BEG GAY

All this played out the early ’90s, when AIDS jok and the word “fag” were mon, ias about allowg gays to openly serve the ary were nsired radil, and policians were wagg culture wars over “fay valu.

55 BT GAY SONGS OF ALL TIME (LGBTQ PRI SONGS)

’s Michael Stipe, but Nirvana’s pro-gay gtur and s inoclastic sound were remarkable for any popular mic act.

The ia that you uld make mic that was aggrsive, hard and loud and be an ally to the gay muny seemed revolutnary, pecially for me, a closeted prep school graduate om Detro’s suburbs.

KURT COBA'S 1993 ADVOTE COVER STORY: 'I'M GAY SPIR'

The publitn had characterized gay people as sad and pathetic, but I still volunteered at a bake sale to raise money for . In 1992, the state of Oregon voted on an famo ballot amendment known as Measure 9, which attempted to forbid the state ernment om fundg the promotn, enuragement or facilatn of “homosexualy, pedophilia, sadism or masochism, ” addg that all levels of ernment should set a standard to teach kids that “the behavrs are abnormal, wrong, unnatural and perverse and they are to be disuraged and avoid.

5%, but ls known is the fact that legendary gnge band Nirvana played a “No on 9” benef ncert 1992 to help feat the homophobic, kk-shamg law.