Transgender ‘Against Me!’ fan attacked at gig as band perform pro-trans song
A woman was attacked for being trans at an Against Me! gig – as the band performed a song about being transgender.
The punk band’s lead singer Laura Jane Grace came out as trans in 2012, continuing to perform with the band following her transition.
The band later recorded album Transgender Dysphoria Blues based on the singer’s transition, including a track of the same name.
However, Against Me! fan Stephanie McCarthy says she was the victim of a transphobic attack at one of the band’s gigs in Australia – speaking to Laura Jane Grace about the incident for the singer’s Vice Noisey column.
McCarthy recounted to the singer: “I was right in front of you, I was about two rows back, and I came with a bunch of women I know from Newcastle [New South Wales].
“It was right in the middle of ‘Transgender Dysphoria Blues’ too, which is beautifully ironic. But I got sucker punched, I turned around and just wham! He hit me.
“It wasn’t much of a punch. The left side of my face is all metal plates anyways so I probably hurt his hand.
“But the fact that he yelled out ‘F**king tranny!’ That’s what I cannot believe, when you’re playing like, two meters away. Everyone was just dumbfounded like, ‘You f**king serious?'”
Laura Jane Grace replied: ”That blows my mind. I’m so sorry, first off, I didn’t see anything happening or I would have stopped the show and had your back.
“But, what the f**k? Why would you come to our show if you’re a transphobic piece of s**t?”
McCarthy said it was one of eleven times she has been assaulted since coming out as trans.
Citing Caitlyn Jenner’s transition, McCarthy added that trans people still face discrimination and violence.
She said: “For your average trans person, it’s still discrimination, violence, and not much changes. I think that’s why we need governments to step in as opposed to public opinion. There needs to be legislation protecting trans people. What happened to me, I hate to say, I don’t think there’ll be a great outcome.
“I’ve been to the police. Out of the eleven times I’ve been assaulted, this is the sixth time I’ve been to the police and no one’s ever been arrested. It’s definitely not a priority for them.
“Until that stuff starts changing, I’m a little bit skeptical but I’d rather she had the publicity than not. Put it that way. I mean, it can’t be a bad thing.”
Listen to Transgender Dysphoria Blues below (strong language):
