What’s the most punk thing you can possibly do in today’s day and age? If you said “piss off a bunch of TERFs by playing a trans punk song,” then you’d be correct.
BBC Radio 6 Music, known for its alt radio focus, recently decided to play queer feminist punk band Dream Nails’ 2021 single “They/Them” over the airwaves. The British press quickly worked itself into a proper sticky wicket over the song, largely because of Dream Nails’ clear condemnation of TERFdom.
“Kick TERFs all day, don’t break a sweat,” the song’s lyrics say. “Call me a girl again / trans power is forever.”
TERFs are big mad, LOL
The Daily Mail, known for its transphobic output over the past few years, cited one anonymous complainer who said the song “endorses an explicit violent threat.” Meanwhile, The Times complained that the BBC was happy to play the trans punk anthem while supposedly shunning Irish singer Róisín Murphy for her transphobic stance on gender-affirming care for trans teens. Apparently, kicking bigots isn’t all that popular with bigots? Who knew?
The expected anti-trans Twitter (sorry, X) crowd quickly turned to Elon Musk’s social media platform to express their outrage over seven words in a punk song. I’ll spare you the specifics, as you can go ahead and torture yourself by reading all the quote tweets responding to PinkNews’ coverage. However, one anti-trans poster was so mad that he encouraged his followers to pull their TV license (a subscription to access live TV in Britain). Which is hilarious. Imagine being so poisoned by transphobia, and so mad over one song, that you decide to forego TV altogether. Sure thing, chum. Cut the cable. See if I care.
The BBC isn’t your friend, though
Granted, the BBC isn’t exactly a bastion of trans-inclusive media. In a poorly researched and argued 2021 BBC article, a writer tried to claim that trans women are pressuring lesbian cis women into sex, despite zero proof of this supposed phenomenon. A Vice report that same year claimed queer employees at the organization were quitting the BBC due to the group’s handling of LGBTQ issues. One staffer said eight trans employees left the BBC “in the past 12 months because they don’t believe that the BBC is impartial anymore.”
Things haven’t improved all that much since 2021. Earlier this year, the BBC apologized to J.K. Rowling twice after two separate BBC guests criticized Rowling’s transphobia and “association with the so-called gender critical movement.” In 2022, trans protesters in London rallied right outside the BBC, criticizing the organization’s handling of trans issues and contributions to an “agenda of hate and discrimination.” Critics have long contested that the BBC paints anti-trans groups and causes in a flattering light.
Still, one must give credit where credit is due. The BBC did say “kick TERFs,” and that’s pretty swell. Even if it doesn’t make up for all the other shitty stuff.
(featured image: Dream Nails)
