That round table conversation was extremely interesting. Some of the points that stuck out for me:
Justin Tranter describing how his straight band mates found out (on a diminished level) what it’s like to deal with homophobia. And also what he said about his narrative being embraced on the highest levels, as long as it’s sung by straight artists.
Ames saying that when you’re masking who you are, everything you create is watered down.
LP expressing how surprising it is that we aren’t as forward as we think, we still have to pave a way, it isn’t all paved for us.
Mary Lambert talking about how straight people have all aspects of them represented in media, while queer (or overweight) people have only one side represented, and it’s a negative side.
That fits right into what Teddy Geiger said (she was last), that she said to herself “I don’t want to end up a prostitute”, because that’s the only representation she encountered for a trans woman.
Shea Diamond talked about how the system is set to not let marginalized artists thrive, and sticks them in a “survival” mode.
And of course, Parson James telling how the guys in RCA, the gay guys in RCA, told him to tone it down. I was very touched by the way he portrayed his childhood, like life made him timid at a very young age, and he was always mindful not to upset anyone, because his very existence must have been upsetting to a lot of people.
These are just a few points that resonated with me, but that is not to say that the others were any less interesting and thoughtful.
And my, Ferras has a very glamorous space. I love it!