interstitial: sapphic renaissance
we're in the new age and the lesbians are taking over... you're welcome!
The renaissance was a cultural movement that ushered society from the Middle Ages into modernity. While our current society may not be in a current renaissance as we seem caught up in nostalgic remakes and most creative ventures are overtaken by an unfortunate need for profit, the queer community, particularly the femme side of it, has been having a renaissance. I’m mainly focussing on music in this post, but I find that is the first sign of a larger change that’s already creeping through in other mediums.
For The majority of queer history our culture has been defined by two somewhat disengaged groups (i primarily mean artistically here), the lesbians and the gays. Not to put us in a binary, as that can be diminutive, but for my argument’s sake I think this is the best way to explain it. Let’s start with the gays (read mostly white men) their “mainstream” icons have long consisted of straight women. Ten years ago if you were to ask me who’s a gay icon it’d be obvious; its Madonna, Britney, Kylie (Minogue not Jenner, get some culture if you didn’t know that), Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Cher, Janet Jackson, and the queen of Christmas, Mariah Carey. So these pop divas have been blasting in gay bars across the world seemingly since the start of time, and while they are all incredible and have been embracing of the community, they aren’t necessarily in it.
Now let’s take a look at the other group, the lesbians, our foremothers, if you will. We’ve got Melissa Etheridge, The Indigo Girls, KD Lang, Lesley Gore, and others. Unfortunately, many of our foremothers were not “out” during their careers, or even lives, and therefore we’re often left to hunt through lyrics and conspire the truth of their meanings. If they were “out,” they were less mainstream than the “gay icons,” but with songs that tend to focus more on social satire and counter cultures or deep, unapologetic, feminine emotions. Not fully embraced by “mainstream” gays, but fully in the community.
I think now is a good time to acknowledge Tegan and Sara, Janelle Monae, LP, and Brandi Carlile, along with some others, who served as some kind of bridge between the old and new guard and they deserve much acknowledgment for that.
So what happens when you get a generation raised on and embracing both of these parts of queerness? You get Chappell Roan, Muna, Boy Genius (and all its members as individuals), Kehlani, Hayley Kiyoko, Fletcher, King Princess, Renee Rapp and so so so so many more. You get a sapphic renaissance! You get the classic elements of pop girls, mixed with cultural examination that can only come from an outsiders experience, the genuine vulnerability of people who have often been told to hide that from the world. Finally, you get an artistic movement created by members of the community and also fully embraced by its members.
I’m not sure these artists know what they have collectively done. It’s likely they are just individuals who wanted to share their art with the world, which alone is an achievement, but as a group they’ve created a more cohesive and inclusive queer community. Is it perfect? No, it still leans heavily white, but I think its a start. I’ve witnessed gay bars that would discriminate against queer women become places for all queer people, and do I think the lesbian pop girlies have something to do with that, why yes, I do. Have I seen little boys cry their eyes out at Phoebe Bridgers’ concert, not just because they get to see her melancholy, angelic presence in person, but also because they might relate to the daddy issues she so beautifully relays through her songs? Yes I have. These sapphics are part of a movement, it’s not organized or pre planned, its natural and organic, but it is also exciting and necessary. To have the songs of the summer be about a lesbians’ ex’s new girlfriend or have openers for Taylor Swift’s massive eras tour sing about the softness of women’s love, and to not have these songs be for the male gaze (sorry Katy Perry’s I Kissed a Girl, i still love you), it does make me have some hope. Art always moves before the rules in a society right?
PS
I’d like to acknowledge that this is not meant to be an all inclusive retrospective of queer music, as that would take me an incredibly long time to put together. This is just me noticing an intersection of the predominating factors in modern queer music.
PPS
Is Chappell Roan’s HOT TO GO the sapphic YMCA? Yes, I do believe it is (of course with a But I’m A Cheerleader flare)!
PPS
here’s my sapphic playlist for your listening enjoyment!