Susan's Place Transgender Resources

John Walker, MTV
November 12, 2014

The world can be a scary, tumultuous place, and when you can't find solace in yourself, that madness can feel amplified tenfold. Bad Suns tackle such a crisis of the self on "Salt," a song inspired by conversations the band members had with a close friend struggling with issues stemming from their gender identity.

I spoke with Bad Suns' Christo Bowman, about the L.A. rock band's latest Language & Perspective single, as well as its accompanying music video, which just premiered on MTV at badsuns.mtv.com. Watch it below, although — trigger warning — know that the clip contains potentially upsetting visuals relating to gender dysphoria, attempted suicide, drug addiction and sexual assault.

Much like Sia's "Chandelier" and Ed Sheeran's "Don't," the video, directed by Daniel "Cloud" Campos (a renown dancer who's toured with Madonna and who directed Panic At The Disco's "This Is Gospel" video and Paramore's "Now" video) tells its story through a beautifully choreographed dance sequence.

The video documents the journey of its transgender protagonist, played by choreographer Tamara Levinson, who also happens to be married to Cloud, as she accepts the gender identity she can no longer run from.

This character's transition involves hormone replacement therapy and sex reassignment surgery (though it should be noted that not every transgender individual's transition — if they choose to transition at all — includes such steps). The video simply tells a trans narrative, not the trans narrative. And on a greater scope, it simply tells a narrative, period.

Watch: http://www.mtv.com/news/1995130/bad-suns-salt-video/ (http://www.mtv.com/news/1995130/bad-suns-salt-video/)

Here is the link for the youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ-12-sFpLs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ-12-sFpLs)

The reason I am posting it is because it is one of the first trans things I've seen where it is actually safe to read the comments.

Thanks for posting that video - the symbolism is freaking awesome and I think it captures a lot of our journeys pretty well.

Bumping this because I was just rewatching it.  if you like the song I love "Cardiac Arrest" by the same band, would recommend listening to their other music too!  I didn't realize this video was worked on by soemone who also worked with Panic at The Disco.  Their music vids always have a very interesting theatrical and dramatic flair that makes them unusual and much more interesting that the typical band vids!

Thanks for sharing this video. I am still reeling from its effect, but it is also hopeful and uplifting.

That was one of the most painful things I've ever seen, but cathartic.

Cool video, I think the scenes in front of the mirror are a good way to help convey some of the feeling of gender dysphoria to non-trans people,