Transgender Artists

Playlist and Article by: Ben Ramakrishnan

What is a transgender person?

Transgender people are individuals whose gender does not correspond with the sex they were assigned at birth. Trans people are part of the LGBTQ+ community (hence the “T”). “Transgender” is an umbrella term that encompasses transgender men and transgender women as well as non-binary people such as genderqueer, genderfluid, agender, gender non-comforming individuals, and more. Non-binary people do not fit in with the “binary” genders of man and woman. Many find themselves somewhere in between, somewhere outside, or without a gender at all. While these labels may seem confusing at first, it is totally ok, as human beings, to make mistakes about others’ identities. What is important is that we make sure to respect everyone’s preferred name and pronouns.

Are these songs about the trans experience?

The songs featured on the playlist are not necessarily written about or tied to the transgender experience, though a couple may touch on similar themes. This playlist is to celebrate and bring light to transgender artists. That does not mean that all, or any, of their music is about being trans.

Why this playlist?

Transgender people are astronomically underrepresented and oftentimes misrepresented in popular media. As such, musical artists who identify as trans are usually less well-known than their cisgender counterparts, especially considering the discrimination that transgender people face on an everyday basis. This playlist aims to bring light to the many talented, prolific musicians who happen to be transgender. Keep in mind that this is merely a small snapshot of trans artists and there are miles more to love, celebrate, and appreciate in addition to the ones featured on the playlist.

Listen here! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7vZHpsoqePDu2e3COCM47R?si=wiTNrkK6RNmSMsiQrqsqhw&pi=u-bTkNvRQjQSG2