Tag: Ethel Cain

Ethel Cain Is So Good

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

It took me a bit longer than I’d like to admit to realize that Ethel Cain is transgender. It’s difficult to realize this given how soulful and feminine her songs are. And, I have to admit also that because of how much I love Cain’s music that my views on the transgendered have changed.

Ethel Cain

Even though obviously she didn’t have to prove shit to anyone, her ability to sing the type of songs she does with such conviction definitely forces one to accept the validity of transgender people.

She’s probably one of my favorite artists out there at the moment. She’s so interesting and different that she really makes one not only enjoy her music, but think, too.

It is interesting that the pop press hasn’t really mentioned the transgender angle when it comes to her. Now, obviously, I have to acknowledge that I only learned about Cain through Tik-Tok and she’s really not gotten any mainstream press as far as I can tell.

Dave Chappelle’s New Netflix Special Leaves Me Conflicted

by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

I loved Dave Chappelle’s Netflix special “The Dreamer.” He’s probably the best storyteller alive and he knows how to tell a joke. And, yet, he continues to think “edgy” means “bigoted” when it comes to the trans community. Whenever he made one of those type jokes, I thought about what would have happened if some member of the Rat Pack had made a racist joke back in the day.

But, I suppose, the case can be made that gender isn’t race. Or something. Something like that. The whole thing makes me very uncomfortable in more ways than one. I think there’s room enough room in this world for all God’s chillens and there’s no need to pick on transgender people.

What’s more, I just discovered that one of my favorite new artists Ethel Cain was born a dude with the name Hayden Silas Anhedönia. (Though I suspect Cain’s “male” last name is made up, given how close the surname is to the word for the inability to feel pleasure.)

They say intelligence is the ability to hold to contradictory ideas in your mind at the same time and when it comes to Chappelle, I definitely am doing that. I really liked The Dreamer, and, yet, given how amazingly talented Cain is…I also feel angry that Chappelle went out of his way to attack the transgender community.

I dunno. I just feel really conflicted about the whole thing and there’s no easy answer.