First Day

Against Me!s’ Tom Gabel and pretty much all Sex Reassignment

Last week I read a tweet that Tom Gabel, the lead singer of the band Against Me! came out as a transsexual, is becoming a woman and changing his name to Laura Jane Grace. I thought it was a joke. Ever since my boarding sister introduced me to Against Me! in 2004, I’ve been a casual fan. I don’t know every word to every song but I have heard every song and they’ve been on my Ipod ever since. I never would have believed the owner or the deep, raw, scratchy voice in some of my favorite songs was becoming a woman. If it said Davey Havok, I would have not been surprised in the slightest and moved on. But this intrigued me to look further, and now the entire topic interests me enough to start a discussion, at least I hope it will.

Anyway, I found it was no joke, Gabels’ interview regarding it was coming out in the next issue of Rolling Stone magazine. After not getting much online I actually went out today and bought the magazine. The RS website only led me to a Q&A with the interviewer, who made it seem Gabel was telling the world before even telling members of the band! I had to know more. The magazine article clarified that he told the members as the article was being worked on and all are entirely supportive of helping him transition. 

And now I have to wonder, how will this affect the band. I admire his bravery in being so forward, and am of the opinion if something makes you happy and doesn’t hurt anyone, power to you. But I’m not his acquaintance or friend, so yes I mostly care how this will affect the music. The article ended with Gabel is now living entirely as a woman, now referred to only as a her, and will be starting hormone treatments for a year as the band is starting a new tour. He wont be getting the actual surgery for at least a year. He will remain with his wife, but will no longer be her husband, now her wife. She is entirely supportive, but at the same time not a lesbian. Regarding his wife and child, I’m leaving that alone. That would all be ‘what if’s’ and talking about a family I don’t know.

The hormone treatment usually does not cause the voice to change. And even the tracheal shave surgery has minimal affect on the voice, most have vocal surgery at the same time. But so far the idea of surgery scares Gabel and he isn’t decided on it. So the sound will be the same hopefully for the next year. So now I wonder how it will be at shows. With him performing as a woman, with a mans voice? I foresee many people going to the shows to simply see how he looks as a woman. To be honest I’m very intrigued to see her fully as Laura. But then is it beginning to overshadow the band? Will they become ‘that band that the lead singer is really a guy’ to new fans? They have much support in the industry from various other bands against disrespect, but even people who arn’t trying to be negative, this will be something they just want to see.

How will this affect the other band members? Knowing whatever they come out with with after Tom is Jane, it barely matters. People will just want to see the new front woman and hear how she changed. The band will always have old and new fans, support, and people who are strictly in it for the music. But I am very curious to how Jane will affect every facet of Against Me! from the next ablum, to interviews, to performing.

The Seattle Times reported the story and received flak for referring to Gabel as ‘he’. The argument is Gabel identifies as a woman, and should be referred to as ‘she’. I don’t agree with this, Gabel is transitioning. He dresses as a woman and is receiving hormone treatments. I believe physically he is a man, and still a he. This is the same situation as someone studying medicine, or even wanting to be a Doctor in a far stretch, and demanding to be called Dr.! They are not, not yet, but still not. Saying you want to be a man doesn’t make you a ‘he’ suddenly, being engaged doesn’t make you a ‘Mrs.’ suddenly. In the RS interview Gabel even stated there is no flipping a switch and ‘ta-da’ being female. Do you agree with the flack? Maybe as a sign of respect for Jane Graces’ choice? I believe until surgery is involved Him and Her are by basic anatomy.

I admit I can not relate and understand being so unhappy in your body to get major surgery to change it. At best I got braces. Full sex reassignment surgery, I’m not saying in a negative way, but will affect every interaction Jane has. I’m not against sex reassignment surgery, but I ask, at what point should things simply be accepted? Being born a man/woman? Not liking your nose? What about the people getting plastic surgery to look like felines? That is an extreme jump, but really, say if science finds a way to change your DNA to grow bird like, and you feel you want to be a bird all your life, should you do it? Or just accept being a person and make the best of it? Is there any cut off point? Is it that the science is available you should? If they find/have a way to make you look like a child, or a elderly person, is that supported? They are all in the zone of not hurting anyone else, so should anything be simply accepted with your body anymore? I suppose if it you are unhappy, and it makes you happy, it would be only positive, as all plastic surgery (not including botched work). But what do you think is your limit? Man to woman? Man to child? There are many women getting surgery to look as young as possible. If it becomes available man to bird? The entire question is what YOU ACCEPT about yourself? not what society accepts you doing. And there are people getting surgery to look and feel like animals, so it is valid.

And my last point I want to discuss/ inquire. In the RS interview, Gabel said even today he can’t look in the mirror without being disgusted by the parts that look male. In my limited experience with transgender now women, especially Caucasian males who got the surgery later in life, you can always tell. To me there are some things that will always look masculine, a wide jaw and shoulders for example. Even most mens feet are decipherable from a womans. Will he always have traits that he wants to change? Just another piece on the list that reminds him he is not a woman? Is there a contentment moment were he will go ok, I am feminine enough? 

This is much longer then I thought it would be, but if you got this far, please comment, discuss, here or on the FB post, or just reply directly to me if you want in the ask or at @J9_bellatrix on twitter, I’d really like know what people think on the topic/ questions.

-Janine

The first time you fall in love will be the easiest thing you ever do, the time after that will be the hardest.

(via coolstoryfuckface)