Susan's Place Transgender Resources

I'm probably not the first to point this out but I've noticed in a lot songs from the past 5-10 years, and a few from Disney interestingly, there songs themselves seem to strikingly convey emotions and feelings that transgender people often experience.

Perhaps the most obvious of this one is 'Let it Go' from frozen. Of course there is no direct mention of transgenderism in the lyrics, but I've heard rumors that they want to make Else a lesbian so I dunno if there are deliberate subtle undertones. Of course, you could apply the lyrics to almost any 'deviant' behavior that is slowly becoming normalised but there are one or two lines that jump out:

The snow glows white on the mountain tonight
Not a footprint to be seen
A kingdom of isolation,
and it looks like I'm the Queen
The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside
Couldn't keep it in, Heaven knows I tried

This first section seems like a very vivid picture of gender dysphoria and how a person works so hard to try and 'contain' their feelings but ultimately failing and feeling isolated.

Don't let them in, don't let them see
Be the good girl you always have to be
Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know
Well, now they know!

How many times have we ourselves repeated such similar sayings to ourselves? Be what society wants you to be, don't let them see the real you...

Let it go! Let it go!
Can't hold it back anymore!
Let it go! Let it go!
Turn away and slam the door!
I don't care what they're going to say!
Let the storm rage on
The cold never bothered me anyway

It's funny how some distance
makes everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me
can't get to me at all!

It's time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me
I'm free!

Let it go! Let it go!
I'm one with the wind and sky
Let it go! Let it go!
You'll never see me cry
Here I stand, and here I stay!
Let the storm rage on

This part is the empowerment section and the euphoria felt by so many when they finally 'Let go' of all their fears and embrace what they truly are.

My power flurries through the air into the ground
My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around!
And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast!
I'm never going back, the past is in the past!

Let it go! Let it go!
And I'll rise like the break of dawn
Let it go! Let it go!
That perfect girl is gone!
Here I stand in the light of day!
Let the storm rage on!!!
The cold never bothered me anyway

And finally the last section how the person they were before is cast off and everything is left in the past.



This theme is kept in the followup movie to Frozen, Moana. In the song 'How far I'll go' Moana wrestles with feelings she has but doesn't know what to do with them.


I've been staring at the edge of the water
Long as I can remember
Never really knowing why
I wish I could be the perfect daughter
But I come back to the water
No matter how hard I try

Every turn I take, every trail I track
Every path I make, every road leads back
To the place I know where I cannot go
Where I long to be

Again, we start off with how despite how hard she tries, she is always drawn to the same place, the same feelings. And even though she knows she is not allowed to go by her family, that doesn't make the feelings go away.

See the line where the sky meets the sea
It calls me
And no one knows
How far it goes
If the wind in my sail on the sea
Stays behind me
One day, I'll know
If I go, there's just no telling how far I'll go

Here she catches a glimpse of what she wants and starts to think of a plan to obtain what she wants so badly, the 'wind in my sail' is her family and friends support. The final line is, like so many of us have had, a regression into fear and distrust about our feelings.

I know everybody on this island
Seems so happy on this island
Everything is by design
I know everybody on this island
Has a role on this island
So maybe I can roll with mine

I can lead with pride
I can make us strong
I'll be satisfied if I play along
But the voice inside
Sings a different song
What is wrong with me?

She tries so hard to do what is expected of her, she even rationalises it with logic. But she can't shake the feeling. The last line, every single one of us has asked ourselves that question.

See the light as it shines on the sea
It's blinding
But no one knows
How deep it goes
And it seems like it's calling out to me
So come find me
And let me know
What's beyond that line?
Will I cross that line?

The line where the sky meets the sea
It calls me
And no one knows
How far it goes
If the wind in my sail on the sea
Stays behind me
One day, I'll know
How far I'll go

The final two verses is another wave of dysphoria as she feels excitement and wanting to be what she wants to be or do. Though in the movie she's not ready. Not quite yet. Perhaps more emphatic for younger members here?


What are your thoughts? Coincidence? Are there any other songs you know that seem to be a narrative of gender dysphoria, transition or transgenderism? I don't mean just a line or two, but full-blown songs.

I can think of a few, "this is me" from the greatest showman soundtrack.

I am not a stranger to the dark
Hide away, they say
'Cause we don't want your broken parts
I've learned to be ashamed of all my scars
Run away, they say
No one'll love you as you are
But I won't let them break me down to dust
I know that there's a place for us
For we are glorious
When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out
I am brave, I am bruised
I am who I'm meant to be, this is me
Look out 'cause here I come
And I'm marching on to the beat I drum
I'm not scared to be seen
I make no apologies, this is me
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh
Another round of bullets hits my skin
Well, fire away 'cause today, I won't let the shame sink in
We are bursting through the barricades and
Reaching for the sun (we are warriors)
Yeah, that's what we've become (yeah, that's what we've become)
I won't let them break me down to dust
I know that there's a place for us
For we are glorious
When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out
I am brave, I am bruised
I am who I'm meant to be, this is me
Look out 'cause here I come
And I'm marching on to the beat I drum
I'm not scared to be seen
I make no apologies, this is me
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh
This is me
and I know that I deserve your love
(Oh-oh-oh-oh) 'cause there's nothing I'm not worthy of
(Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh)
When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out
This is brave, this is proof
This is who I'm meant to be, this is me
Look out 'cause here I come (look out 'cause here I come)
And I'm marching on to the beat I drum (marching on, marching, marching on)
I'm not scared to be seen
I make no apologies, this is me
When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out
I'm gonna send a flood
Gonna drown them out
Oh
This is me


There's also "people like us" by Kelley clarkson, though I think it may be about being gay.

We come into this world unknown
But know that we are not alone
They try and knock us down
But change is coming, it's our time now
Hey everybody loses it
Everybody wants to throw it all away sometimes
And hey, yeah I know what you're going through
Don't let it get the best of you, you'll make it out alive
Oh, people like us we've gotta stick together
Keep your head up, nothing lasts forever
Here's to the damned to the lost and forgotten
It's hard to get high when you're living on the bottom
Oh woah oh oh woah oh
We are all misfits living in a world on fire
Oh woah oh oh woah oh
Sing it for the people like us, the people like us
Hey, this is not a funeral
It's a revolution, after all your tears have turned to rage
Just wait, everything will be okay
Even when you're feeling like it's going down in flames
Oh, people like us we've gotta stick together
Keep your head up nothing lasts forever
Here's to the damned, to the lost and forgotten
It's hard to get high when you're living on the bottom
Oh woah oh oh woah oh
We are all misfits living in a world on fire
Oh woah oh oh woah oh
Sing it for the people like us, the people like us
Oh woah oh oh woah oh
You've just gotta turn it up loud when the flames get higher
Oh woah oh oh woah oh
Sing it for the people like us, the people like us
They can't do nothing to you, they can't do nothing to me
This is the life that we choose, this is the life that we bleed
So throw your fists in the air, come out, come out if you dare
Tonight we're gonna change forever
Everybody loses it,
Everybody wants to throw it all away sometimes
Oh, people like us we've gotta stick together
Keep your head up nothing lasts forever
Here's to the damned, to the lost and forgotten
It's hard to get high when you're living on the bottom
Oh woah oh oh woah oh
We are all misfits living in a world on fire
Oh woah oh oh woah oh
Sing it for the people like us, the people like us
Oh woah oh oh woah oh
You've just got to turn it up loud when the flames get higher
Oh woah oh oh woah oh
Sing it for the people like us, the people like us
Oh woah oh oh woah oh
We're all misfits living in a world on fire
Oh woah oh oh woah oh
Sing it for the people like us, the people like us
Oh woah oh oh woah oh
You've just got to turn it up loud when the flames get higher
Oh woah oh oh woah oh
Sing it for the people like us, the people like us

There's also "brave" by Sara barellis which is about trying to convince a friend of hers to come out as gay, which like the previous also applies very well to trans people.

I can easily see how you can connect that to your own life, and I believe the songs were designed to be able to do that, however I personally do not believe they were targeting any particular group.

I believe the main messages are to be yourself, not to put so much worry on what other people think about you, just be you and don't be afraid to overcome your hardships.
This can easily sound relatable to a trans person. But such a message can also apply to absolutely anyone.

Quote from: Kokoro on April 07, 2018, 11:02:30 AM
Are there any other songs you know that seem to be a narrative of gender dysphoria, transition or transgenderism? I don't mean just a line or two, but full-blown songs.

How about Aretha Franklin's (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman...?

♪(´ε｀ )

I know this song wasn't written for that purpose but it sure fit me in my second marriage, when I was fighting this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gmc_t7m2pC4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gmc_t7m2pC4)