Thomas James Gabel, the transgender front man for the punk rock band Against Me!, who now goes by Laura Jane Grace, recently met up with members of the LGBT-inspired Scottish punk group Spook School for a discussion filmed by Rolling Stone.
Gabel has helmed the band for nearly two decades, but announced in 2012 he intended to live the rest of his life as a woman, while Spook School singer Nye Todd also identifies as transgender.
Against Me! dropped the album Transgender Dysphoria Blues in 2014, which Rolling Stone then listed as one of the 50 Best Albums of 2014.
Of the album, Todd says to Gabel, “It seemed very strange that you hadn’t come out before, that there was trans stuff in the songs… Were you aware of that when you were writing them?”
Gabel replies, “At first it was more like your subconscious pushing you towards it, and then feeling, ‘Oh, I’m saying too much.’ I’ve got to mask this. And then it gets to the point where you’re like, ‘What do I have to do to get your attention and make you realize what I’m actually saying here?'”
The two transgender punk rockers then discuss the dynamics of trans rock and roll, and shared stories of coming out to fans.
Watch the video below:
Former Disney child star Miley Cyrus, who recently announced she no longer solely identifies as female, recently joined for Gabel a music set as part of her backyard sessions in support of her LGBT advocacy group the Happy Hippie Foundation.
You can watch their duet performance here.
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