On his official website, Jay labels himself a "NYC-based singer-songwriter and antisocial misanthropist not-so-extraordinaire". I haven't talked with him about his history yet (I'm still waiting for his email response), but he sings about his very troubled youth. My guess is that he was severely discriminated against as a homosexual in Texas. He moved to NYC to replace all the labels and the hate with acceptance in the big city. Who wouldn't want that?
Below is a music video of one of Jay's songs that I heard before knowing anything about him. I immediately loved the enchanting emotion behind it. And the folk melody is soothing to the ear.
Only while listening recently did I catch the gay-themed pronoun, "he'd be here with flowers if I lived in AZ." Does it bother me? No, like Jay, when I hear a love song, I don't associate or assign love within specific genders. Even as a Conservative, Republican, Christian, heterosexual, I see absolutely no problem with a singer expressing his real emotions. One of the most respectful and meaningful things you can do for a person is accept them exactly the way they are, and let them feel exactly what they're feeling, without making them feel bad about it. With love, and time, I believe all things will work out in the Lord's way.
In other words, trying to force others to change is less effective. As I have learned from Brad Pitt in A River Runs Through It (and from a few general authorities), love is the greatest tool we have to promote positive change.
The bottom line is that I can listen to Jay's music and appreciate it for the beauty it possesses and not be hung up by his pro-gay experience/agenda. Jay is a musician; not a gay musician.
At the end of the day, appreciation [respect] is different than acceptance.
Jay's Homepage FAQ
Below is a music video of one of Jay's songs that I heard before knowing anything about him. I immediately loved the enchanting emotion behind it. And the folk melody is soothing to the ear.
Only while listening recently did I catch the gay-themed pronoun, "he'd be here with flowers if I lived in AZ." Does it bother me? No, like Jay, when I hear a love song, I don't associate or assign love within specific genders. Even as a Conservative, Republican, Christian, heterosexual, I see absolutely no problem with a singer expressing his real emotions. One of the most respectful and meaningful things you can do for a person is accept them exactly the way they are, and let them feel exactly what they're feeling, without making them feel bad about it. With love, and time, I believe all things will work out in the Lord's way.
In other words, trying to force others to change is less effective. As I have learned from Brad Pitt in A River Runs Through It (and from a few general authorities), love is the greatest tool we have to promote positive change.
The bottom line is that I can listen to Jay's music and appreciate it for the beauty it possesses and not be hung up by his pro-gay experience/agenda. Jay is a musician; not a gay musician.
At the end of the day, appreciation [respect] is different than acceptance.
Jay's Homepage FAQ
Q. Why do you hate being called a "gay" singer-songwriter, or being told you write "gay" songs, or always being asked to participate in gay-themed activities, etc.?
A. it's 2009. i think it's time that everyone, the "gay community" included, allow gay people to take their place in the world as real people, rather than continuing to be defined and separated by their sexual orientation. i want the freedom to be myself, unafraid and uncensored, without having to market myself based on a sexual orientation, or attaching that sexual orientation to my name as a title.
the bottom line is this: we're all basically the same and go through the same things, and pronouns and gender have nothing to do with that. if you can't see through pronouns in a song, you're....well, kind of stupid. i have never had trouble relating to a man singing about a woman, or a woman sing about a man. people are people. don't be so simple-minded. it's a trap that both gay & straight people fall into, and it strengthens the childish and ridiculous boundaries between all people for whatever minor differences we may have.
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