Katy's Pride Playlist

From Bronski Beat to Lil Nas X, my playlist expresses a story which can be viewed as a narrative love story or an allegory for how our community has struggled towards freedom over the past century or so. Each song in my playlist is represented by a line in a poem, telling a story of queer love and self-acceptance. The protagonist comes from a difficult situation and through connecting with community is able to develop self-confidence, pride and love. Lines from my playlist songs go together to tell a story of adversity, courage, victory and love. The protagonist in the story goes through three main phases; Isolation, Community and Love.

Isolation:

You can’t understand pride without understanding shame. Our world is evolving and we are beginning to see changes in the way that sexuality is viewed. Despite backlash from conservative circles, we are moving in a positive direction and hopefully, perhaps within a generation’s time, the shame associated with queer sexualities will one day become a historical relic. However, to this day, we are presumed straight until proven guilty, meaning that that anyone who is not straight still has to come out. That coming out is fraught, laced with fear and shame, no matter how accepting or how liberal your circle is. For many, the need to come out over and over again throughout their life as they encounter new people, is a recurring echo of that initial, and possibly most scary, coming out- to one’s self. There is a lurch in the stomach, when confronted with an awkward, heteronormative question or the choice to correct an assumption. On top of this of course, there is the real danger to personal safety presented in many situations, either by strangers, by one’s own family or in many cases around the world, by governments which fail at their most basic responsibility- to protect the lives of their citizens. In the story, our hero is isolated from their family and society because of homophobia. We meet them at a low point, where shame and fear are ruling their life because they have not year learned to have pride in who they are.

Community:

Many in the LGBTIQ+ community choose their own family. Even those of us who have supportive and loving friends and biological family feel the importance of connecting with our wider rainbow community. This is where we come to feel pride and self-acceptance, safety and love. Whether it be at the gay bar, online or at a street protest, we all flourish when we have access to our community. In the story, the protagonist links up with community and starts to feel pride through this connection. Their world view is shifted as is their self-perception.

Love:

Whether a fleeting sexual encounter, self-acceptance, connection with community or romantic involvement, love feeds our hearts and makes us glow. Love is as beautiful and enriching to the broader society as it is to the individual. We all deserve to feel proud of our love. Pride in one’s self encompasses a range of elements including sex positivity, body image and celebration of diversity. I have tried to incorporate these elements into my playlist. In the final stage of the story, we see the main character getting sexy and romantic. It is open to the audience how they will interpret the ending and what could come next.

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Pride:

You leave in the morning with everything you own in a little black case. Alone on a platform, the wind and the rain on a sad and lonely face. Mother will never understand why you had to leave. But the answers you seek will never be found at home. The love that you need will never be found at home.

Mama, take this badge off o' me. I can't use it anymore. It's gettin' dark, much too dark to see. I feel I'm knockin' on Heaven's door.

Everything I long to do, no matter when or where or who, has one thing in common too… it’s a sin

They want to see us, want to see us alone. They want to see us, want to see us apart.

And I can't change. Even if I tried. Even if I wanted to.

Oh, we said our dreams will carry us and if they don't fly, we will run. Now we push right past to find out.

I grew strong and I learned how to get along… You think I'd crumble? You think I'd lay down and die? Oh no, not I, I will survive!

I've learned the lesson that stressin' and obsessin' 'bout somebody else is no fun and snakes and stones never broke my bones.

Well look at me, I'm coming back again. I got a taste of love in a simple way.

I would go out tonight, but I haven't got a stitch to wear. This man said, "It's gruesome, that someone so handsome should care"

Everybody knows just where she gets her clothes. A water-coloured painting in a Renoir pose. She's a dimestore diamond.

Oh you gonna let it all hang out. Fat-bottomed girls you make the rocking world go round.

You deserve the best in life.

Don't hide yourself in regret. Just love yourself and you're set.

There's a new me coming out, and I just had to live, and I wanna give. I'm completely positive…The time has come for me to break out of this shell. I have to shout that “I am coming out”.

Don't fuck with my freedom. I came up to get me some.

I hope you're up girl 'cause we are all coming over. Lock the doors, lower the blinds, fire up the smoke machine and put on your heels. 'Cause I know exactly what we need"

Went out last night with a crowd of my friends,

I know a place where you can get away. It's called a dance floor

This is my night. I'm gonna do it just right. I'm gonna let this magic shine.

Walk in, give him my name, looks up and down, takes a good look at my pecs. Puts down the clipboard, opens the rope for my ‘stash… hat is tilted on the side, my eyes dream of bedroom surprise.

I like both, Bi pride stand up. I like a girly little thing and my dude manned up

I'm a savage. Classy, bougie, ratchet. Sassy, moody, nasty.

Where my girls go. Gon' be a good show.

We go hard or we go home. We gon' do this all night long. We get freaky if you want.

Starships were meant to fly. Hands up and touch the sky. Can't stop 'cause we're so high

Girl, I don't dance, I work. I don't play, I slay. I don't walk I strut, strut, strut and then sashay.

Bring it on, ring the alarm. Don't stop now, just be the champion. Work it hard, like it's your profession.

That girl, she holds her head up so high.

I can sense it. Something important is about to happen. It's coming up. It takes courage to enjoy it

I need that, uh, to get me off. Sweat until my clothes come off.

I'm not shy, I'll say it. I've been picturing you naked. I'm a little faded. You look like a fuckin' paintin'.

The way you rock, don't stop. Girl, you got the chops. Flip flop, she bop, self-taught. You look so hot.

Shake with it, rock with it, drop with it… lift dat leg up…damn!

I know what's good for you, you can touch me if you want. I know you're dying to, you can touch me if you want. I know what's good for you, you can touch me if you want

Drown all the fears that we had. These are the things that we'll never understand. This time fight fire with fire. 'Cause baby tonight the world belongs to you and I.

Is it real now? Two people become one. I can feel it. Two people become one

I'll make you love the way I behave on my bad days and show you the trigger to my bitch switch and how to play with my witch stitch, ohh.

Yeah, you fucking with some wet-ass pussy.

It's like I'm powerful with a little bit of tender, an emotional, sexual bender. Mess me up, yeah, but no one does it better. There's nothin' better. That's just the way you make me feel.

Catcall kittens. Whole milk lickin'. See my vision. Rainbow smitten

Just glitter lust. Switch me on, turn me up. I want to touch you. You're just made for love.

Heaven knows we sure had some fun, boy. What a kick just a buddy and me. We had every big-shot goodtime band on the run, boy. We were living in a fantasy.

Here I am, reaching out to give you love that you're without. I can help you find what you've been searching for. Oh here I am, come to me, take my hand because I believe

I'm remembering you. If this is love, I know it's true. I won't forget you. It's for you.

Call me when you want, call me when you need. Call me in the morning, I'll be on the way.

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Song list:

Lets Have a Kiki – Scissor Sisters

Freedom! 90 – George Michael

Smalltown Boy – Bronski Beat

Montero (Call Me By Your Name) – Lil Nas X

Peanut Butter – RuPaul feat. Big Freedia

Lift Dat Leg Up – Big Freedia

Born This Way – Lady Gaga

Bitch Im Madonna – Madonna feat. Nicki Minaj

I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor

Dimestore Diamond – Gossip

Rebel Girl – Bikini Kill

Kootchi – Neneh Cherry

Queer – Garbage

This Boys In Love – The Presets

Viz – Le Tigre

Boys Wanna Be Her – Peaches

Better in Colour – Lizzo

Express Yourself – Madonna

Big Time Sensuality – Bjork

Disparate Youth – Santigold

This Is – Grace Jones

Here I Am – Dolly Parton, Sia

You Need To Calm Down – Taylor Swift

Walking On A Dream – Empire of the Sun

I’m Coming Out – Diana Ross

I’m Still Standing – Elton John

Same Love – Macklemore and Ryan Lewis and Mary Lambert

Fat Bottomed Girls – Queen

Forrest Gump – Frank Ocean

Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels – Todrick Hall

WAP – Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion

Starships – Nicki Minaj

It’s a Sin – Pet Shop Boys

This Charming Man – The Smiths

Mother’s Daughter – Miley Cyrus

Work Bitch – Britney Spears

Slumber Party – Ashnikko and Princess Nokia

Cellophane – FKA Twigs

Dirrty – Christina Aguilera

Bisexual Anthem – Domo Wilson

Prove It On Me Blues – Ma Rainey

Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door – Antony and the Johnsons

This Is My Night – Chaka Khan

Vogue – Madonna