Another 10 LGBTQIA+ Anthems That Defined Generations

MsMojo

Get ready to turn up the volume and celebrate! Join us as we explore more iconic songs that became beloved anthems for the LGBTQIA  community across generations. From disco classics to modern pop hits, these empowering tracks have provided soundtrack to countless journeys of self-discovery, love, and pride through the decades.

Transcript

00:00Oh, oh, oh, they're totally crazy, again I'm a lady, men's shirts, short skirts.

00:07Welcome to Ms. Mojo.

00:09And today, we're counting down our picks for more empowering bops made or claimed by the

00:14LGBTQIA plus community.

00:16If you're a firework, come on, let your colors burst.

00:25Number 10.

00:26It's raining men, the weather girls.

00:28You may think this only earns its spot due to its unapologetic message about loving men

00:33of all different shapes and sizes.

00:42While the message and its infectiously danceable production of the weather girls' It's Raining

00:47Men has made it a favorite, it also holds a much deeper meaning.

00:51When it was first released, queer men saw it as embracing their culture, which helped

00:55it circulate through the club scene.

00:58It was used to push back against homophobic diatribes in the United Kingdom in 2014, making

01:11it clear just how much the nation disagreed with it.

01:14More recently, the lyrics have been updated to include those who are non-binary, cementing

01:19it as an anthem that people of all gender expressions can relate to.

01:22It's raining men, hallelujah, it's raining men, amen.

01:30Number 9.

01:31Freedom 90.

01:32George Michael.

01:33He may not have been out himself when this was first released, but it helped countless

01:37others to find the bravery to do so themselves.

01:48George Michael's Freedom 90 is a joyous anthem about rejecting society's ideals and embracing

01:53oneself for who they truly are.

01:55The lyrics are firm in their delivery, but with a sense of vulnerability that aligns with

01:59many community members' own journeys to being out and proud.

02:10It also served as a complete rewriting for Michael's own history, setting the stage for

02:14him to embrace his own sexuality after being forcibly outed in 1998.

02:19Over three decades after releasing, the meaning is still incredibly poignant and can now hopefully

02:24inspire newer generations to free themselves as well.

02:27Yeah, come on!

02:28Freedom!

02:29Freedom!

02:30Freedom!

02:31Freedom!

02:32Freedom!

02:33Freedom!

02:38Not every song for the LGBTQIA plus community needs to be inherently political.

02:44Sometimes, the seemingly simplest treatments have the largest impact.

02:47Come on, baby, play me like a love song.

02:50Every time it comes on, I get this sweet.

02:53I get this sweet desire.

02:56This is proven with Troye Sivan's Bloom.

02:58On the surface, it appears to be just about opening oneself up to the idea of a new romantic

03:03relationship.

03:04Reading between the lines reveals the hidden cheeky subtext, that it's about experiencing

03:08a sexual encounter with someone of the same gender for the first time.

03:12Take a trip into my garden, I've got so much to show ya.

03:17The fountains and the waters are begging just to know ya.

03:21It captures an experience that isn't often told from a queer perspective, but it immediately

03:26resonated with countless people.

03:28It quickly became an anthem for the modern age, showing just how far things have come

03:32since the earlier days of fighting for acceptance.

03:34When thinking of anthems that truly define the LGBTQIA plus community, this one may not immediately

03:49come to mind.

03:50Yet Sonique's It Feels So Good overflows with that sense of escapism and freedom that comes

04:02with an infectious dance song.

04:03The lyrics celebrate being in love, and how the feeling itself can make everything else

04:07seem to melt away.

04:16Being paired with a classic disco beat made it the epitome of everything they loved about

04:20the genre as far back as the 1970s.

04:23While the songs with overt messages and inspirational lyrics deserve their flowers and more, there's

04:28something to be said for one that simply allows you to exist as you are, without any fear of

04:33retribution.

04:44She and the queer community had a long bond, and this track was at the forefront of it.

04:48I Feel Love by Donna Summer was quickly claimed by those in the gay nightlife scene in the 1970s.

05:03The futuristic, catchy production immediately caught their attention, but it was the lyrics

05:07that truly cemented its status.

05:09They are unapologetic in the best way possible, celebrating the feelings that come with being

05:22with a new partner for the first time.

05:24It was the perfect song to aid the sexual revolution at the time, becoming an anthem for those who

05:29refuse to hide themselves and their harmless desires any longer.

05:39It's always a beautiful moment when an artist acknowledges their work's positive impact.

05:48For Cyndi Lauper, that song was True Colors.

05:51It immediately resonated with her, reminding her of a close friend that had recently passed

06:04from AIDS.

06:05That empathy shone through in the lyrics, which called to anyone who felt like their

06:09differences meant they shouldn't have a place in this world.

06:12Not only does she encourage them to open up, she also confirms that someone will always

06:17be there to uplift them.

06:26She's been open about how the song has helped save lives, encouraging her to go even further

06:31in her activism.

06:32Both the track and her unending support have cemented its status as an anthem, and her own

06:37as an icon.

06:39But where she's been, since she's a part of the album?

06:48Number 4.

06:49Small Town Boy.

06:49Bronski Beat.

06:50There are some beloved anthems that are more ambiguous in their meanings.

06:52However, those that are overt in their messages are just as important when it comes to rallying

06:55when it comes to rallying the community.

07:06Small Town Boy by Bronsky Beat isn't just a hypnotically gorgeous pop song,

07:11it's also a direct reflection of the negative attitudes towards LGBTQIA plus people in the 1980s.

07:17It tells the story of a gay man who flees his hometown after being constantly harassed,

07:21and the conflicting emotions that came with the choice.

07:25It effortlessly captures the feeling of freedom and uncertainty after leaving a toxic upbringing,

07:35and how it's ultimately worth it in the end.

07:38Over 40 years later, the message still rings true,

07:41and has helped a whole new generation learn their worth.

07:49Even after decades of oppression,

07:54the LGBTQIA plus community continues to prove how much stronger they are from the days of the past.

08:08Though Britney Spears' Stronger wasn't written to be an anthem for them specifically,

08:12it ended up becoming the perfect response to the uptick in homophobic hate crimes

08:16that had taken place in the late 90s and early 2000s.

08:19It's a song all about taking back power from those who've used it to hurt you,

08:23and how you don't need anybody to prove your worth.

08:33It's an unexpectedly cathartic pop song that declares that no matter what queer people go through on a daily basis,

08:40they will always rise above it,

08:41and come out the other side more powerful than before.

08:44Like many other divas, she's a celebrated icon throughout the queer community,

08:58and it's clear to see why.

08:59Oh, I wanna dance with somebody.

09:03I wanna feel good to do with somebody.

09:07Whitney Houston had the innate ability to inject pure, raw emotion into her music.

09:12Joy came through the most, as evidenced by the infectiously cheerful

09:16I Wanna Dance With Somebody Who Loves Me.

09:18Though not as overt in its messaging as the empowering Thunderpuss remix to

09:22It's Not Right But It's Okay,

09:23it serves as a beacon of pure jubilation.

09:33The gender of the other partner not being mentioned once

09:36has made it easily applicable to anyone trying to find their true love,

09:40no matter who they may be.

09:42With Somebody Who Loves Me.

09:48Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

09:52Supermodel, You Better Work, RuPaul.

09:55A hit that ushered in a new era of unapologetic queer self-love.

09:59I will work, love a girl.

10:01Work it, girl.

10:02You're a world.

10:03Do your thing on the runway.

10:07Free Zone, Janet Jackson.

10:09This song denounced homophobia and showered the community with praise.

10:20Cut To The Feeling, Carly Rae Jepsen.

10:23Captures the feeling of yearning for love that feels impossible to find.

10:26I wanna dance on the roof, you and me alone.

10:30I wanna cut to the feeling, oh yeah.

10:34We Are Who We Are, Kesha.

10:37Written to uplift the queer community following an uptick in self-harm and hate.

10:41We're tearing it apart, par, par, par, par, par.

10:45You know we're superstars.

10:47We are who we are.

10:49Dancing On My Own, Robin.

10:51A cathartic tune about dancing negative feelings away.

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11:17Number 1, I Will Survive, Gloria Gaynor.

11:21This is proof of how powerful reclamation can be.

11:25I Will Survive is an empowering number on its own, centered around a woman building herself

11:36back up after a breakup.

11:38To the queer community, however, it holds a much deeper meaning.

11:41It was released just a few years before the onset of the AIDS epidemic, and soon afterwards,

11:45it became an anthem to those who were sick of being stigmatized, oppressed, and left

11:50to suffer.

11:50Walk out the door, just turn around now, you're not welcome anymore.

11:57In the 21st century, it still serves as a resounding cry from those who want to proclaim

12:02that they won't be held down, and that they will continue to survive, no matter what gets

12:07thrown their way.

12:08I've got so much love to give, and I'll survive.

12:11I will survive.

12:13I will survive.

12:15What was the first LGBTQIA plus anthem that resonated with you?

12:21Let us know in the comments below.

12:23I see your true colors, and that's why I love you.

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