There are certain songs you'll find in high rotation at any queer event you find yourself at. Every Mardi Gras after party, every queer house party, even every personal ‘pump up’ playlist for LGBTIQA people. It’s hard to deny the power of queer anthems.
Even if they’re not the well-known disco classics, any song that brings pride, joy, and glitter with each play is something special. We wanted to explore the power of these anthems by chatting to eight LGBTIQA folk.
Claire, 22
Student, queer and QTIPoC
What’s your queer anthem?
Source: Supplied
When did you first hear this song?
I genuinely don’t know a time that I did not know this song. It’s almost like I was born with it in my head?
Why is it your queer anthem?
Well, everybody just wants to dance with somebody who cares about them! It’s very relatable content, plus it’s a bop that has withstood the test of time. Whitney Houston was part of that group of women that queer people really appreciate.
To break down this song, I don’t want to just think about somebody who loves me romantically, but more than that, seeing as love presents itself in different ways. Not everyone experiences romantic love; some people are aromantic in our community! This song, to me, is highlighting more than just romance.
What do queer anthems mean to you?
Queer anthems are a way to bond with a lot of people over something as amazing as queerness.
You still get a lot of diversity within the LGBTIQA community which needs to be acknowledged, but when you have a serious queer anthem, it’s a song that brings together and resonates with so many different types of people.
When you think queer anthems - a lot of them are femme people or women such as Cher, Kylie, Gloria Gaynor, Gaga, etc. A lot of really powerful women talking about relatable and/or powerful topics.
Dove, 28
Genderfluid and pansexual, kindergarten teacher and drag performer
What’s your queer anthem?
Source: Supplied
When did you first hear this song?
I can’t remember where I first heard it. I think I Shazam-ed it at a club one night - it gave me such euphoria.
Why is it your queer anthem?
It’s such an upbeat, funky song, and the lyrics are just so simple and genuine, and affirm everything I love about loving being queer!
I ended up looking it up online and learned it was a cover performed by Reverend Carl Bean, who founded the Unity Fellowship Church movement, aimed at welcoming queer African Americans and did some amazing activism and advocacy work on behalf of people with AIDS. This was such a stark contrast to the religious leaders I had growing up, and really gave me a sense of hope.
What do queer anthems mean to you?
Music has always helped me in ways I couldn’t find elsewhere, since i was a young AMAB kid whose only outlet for femininity was belting out Kylie with my walkman in my ears.
Being able to escape from incredibly exclusive and invalidating situations that tried to drain me of my queerness was a godsend, and right through to my late 20s, queer music has given me countless opportunities to sing, dance, express myself and connect with other people in similar boats.
Larry, 27
Bisexual, passionate about crafts and healthy relationships
What’s your queen anthem?
Source: Supplied
When did you first hear it?
I don't remember exactly when - but i was about eight years old and fell in love with her voice and message. Being only eight, I had no idea what the song was about, but it captivated me!
Why is it your queer anthem?
I don't think I can really explain easily why it is my queer anthem. Mostly cos it gets played every time I visit a gay bar! The message in the song is empowering, tells you to keep going and loving more because the next love will be better.
What do queer anthems mean to you?
Queer anthems are my lifeline, really.
I didn't realise how much I loved these anthems until you asked, but I have always loved gay icons and their music so I guess it all makes sense.
Adrian, 25
Queer, Marketing Coordinator
What’s your queer anthem?
Source: Supplied
When did you first hear it?
I first heard it in 2010, which was the year after I finished high school and when I began to accept my sexuality openly.
Why is it your queer anthem?
Since her album Light Years (10 years prior) there was something about Kylie's presence, sexuality and lyrics that resonated with me. Pre-pubescent Adrian was in love with the glamour and fantasy. Growing up attached to her songs, it was the first track that hit me on a personal level - it was a time in my life I first fell in love with a boy and it was scary and exhilarating.
What do queer anthems mean to you?
Queer anthems empower me to embrace the good and the bad memories. As those moments shaped my life, these songs have often given liberation and strength that others have endured the same emotions and struggles, and like them, you'll get through it too 
Dani, 26
When did you first hear it?
In 2016, a bisexual friend of mine sent it to me. I couldn't believe I hadn't heard the song before!
Why is it your queer anthem?
Because it's one of the very few songs (that I'm aware of) that discuss and celebrate bisexuality. It's such an anthem because the main line is "everybody loves you when you're bi”, which is so affirming in a world where it's often more like "no one really understands you and a lot of people judge you when you're bi.”
What do queer anthems mean to you?
It's tricky, because a lot of songs that are considered 'queer anthems' are usually very gay and camp and don't really speak to me. I struggle to find any songs that are about genderfluidity or that don't uphold a binary. I also do like songs that are effortlessly queer or bisexual, such as Halsey's Bad at Love. It switches between stories of different genders without making a big deal out of it - I love it. I often just listen to songs that aren't queer and pretend they are, because it's so rare to find anything that speaks to my experience.
Julie, 25
Queer, auslan/psych student
What’s your queer anthem?
Source: Supplied
Why is it your queer anthem?
I’m so shy, so it’s really difficult for me to relax and dance. But this song gets to me and makes me feel empowered.
What do queer anthems mean to you?
Queer anthems mean celebration and strength to me.
Jessi, edge of 30
Queer, arts editor
What’s your queer anthem?
Source: Supplied
When did you first hear it?
The first time I heard it was sometime in the 90s, as a kid.
Why is it your queer anthem?
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, apart from being one of the most definitive pieces of Australian cinematography, was, upon its release in 1994, sensational in the way it presented queer culture as something of strength.
What do queer anthems mean to you?
I think queer anthems, or for that matter any kind of “musical anthem”- for want of a better term, really represent at the pinnacle, how music has a power and ability to cut through, communicate something, bring people together. The difference being that “queer” is something very much of the now along with something which is very visible.
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Steppen, 28
Queer, lawyer
What’s your queer anthem?
Source: Supplied
Why is it your queer anthem?
Ask anyone and they will tell you that this song is intensely queer. The first time I heard it was in a backpackers in Edinburgh when I was a young bab. Even though I'd never had my heart broken, something about the vulnerability and power Robyn conveys in this song really moved me.
We all know that feeling of pretending to be okay when your heart is in your stomach, comparing yourself to another girl.
Femmes in particular are great at giving themselves over to emotion. There's something so raw about saying to yourself, “FUCK IT I'M HURT BUT IM GOING TO KEEP DANCING!!”
What do queer anthems mean to you?
Queer anthems are something for just us. It's great when you realise that actually, being queer doesn't have to be isolating.
It gives you entry to the best club in the world music-wise and creativity-wise. This song in particular connects every sad queer on the planet and that's why I love music like this!
The 40th Annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras will air on Sunday, March 4 at 8:30pm on SBS.
SBS Radio 3 will join forces with Australia's premier gay and lesbian community radio station, JOY 94.9, for a Mardi Gras weekend simulcast, which can be accessed via the SBS Radio mobile app, digital radio and around Australia on digital television.
