Skin (Skunk Anansie)

[Shedbuilder]

Skin is appearing at the Hay Festival. Apparently she's an LGBTQ+ activist. First I've heard of it. I'm a lesbian and I keep an eye out for lesbians in the media and entertainment world and I failed to spot her. The blurb from the festival says she's been championing LGBTQ+ issues during her 25-year career. Who knew?

www.hayfestival.com/p-17148-it-takes-blood-and-guts.aspx

[ShagMeRiggins]

@BlueCatRedCat

ShagMeRiggins wow, thank you, that was beautiful. She's utterly mesmerising, isn't she.

She is. I’m glad you liked it. It’s a real favourite here and she’s been a beacon of so many things since I first saw her in the states back in mid-90s.

My husband has a friendly professional relationship with Ace, the guitarist (not through music, through education because Ace runs an incredible academy style setup for musicians of many ages), and we had the pleasure of seeing them in Brixton in 2019, then backstage for the after party.

Skin was taking her time joining the party—at least 100 people in the upstairs bar, friends, family, local musicians (Rag-n-Bone Man popped by to say howdy), crew, etc—and we had the children with us so had to leave by a certain time due to licensing.

Anyway, you know what Ace did? He took our purchased album and signed it, then sought out Cass and Mark and Skin to do the same.

That is a nice man, and a good host. He had loads of people waiting to congratulate him and talk to him. But he did that for our three rather enthralled children (early teens).

Anyway, at the end of the concert, which was astonishing, Skin ended by proclaiming, “Resist!”

Fascinating experience, fascinating band, fascinating woman.

[jj1968]

I haven't made any assumptions, I just commented on what Skin said which is that trans people and feminists should be on the same side against right wing conservatives. I agree with her and I suspect were a government ever to be elected which really came for trans rights they would also attack women's rights generally and most feminists and most trans people end up would fighting them together - as they are doing in Poland and other places where very right wing governments are in power.

[ShagMeRiggins]

Apologies—that was rather off-topic for FWR.

My only opinion is that Skin is Skin and she’s worth listening to. And yes, she’s a lesbian (possibly with sexual experiences with males in her past), but has mostly if not always been very clear about her support of women being women, and being who they are.

She leads by example.

[ShagMeRiggins]

@Butterer

Wow *@ShagMeRiggins* - that sounds very very special .

Honestly, it was. In contrast, we are all about to sit down to a tasty snack of fish finger sandwiches and set off a few fireworks in the back garden. Rock and roll.

Your mention of the literary festival is chilling to me. How can ‘anarchists’ claim the right to ban anyone from anything? It’s anarchy ffs. Surely that means all voices should be heard.

[ShagMeRiggins]

Butterer yeah, and appreciated, but I felt a whiff of my own humble-brag in my post and wanted to clarify a bit. For me it was just a cool anecdote

I'm not intending to discredit them or minimize their experiences, I'm just fucking scared of them.

I understand this. By the way, I also understand thinking/trying to find “appropriate” places to say and do things. Things seem more restrictive than ever (in my life, not in the history of humankind—I mean, come on).

I love free speech. I love someone saying something so untenable that a crowd of people with differing views from one another rise and denounce the worst said in free speech, but I support the right.

I’ll listen to you any time you like. And I’ll also pop off to listen to 100 Ways To Be a Good Girl.

💪

[ShagMeRiggins]

Thanks for Rise Up, Butterer. Such a message.

[ShagMeRiggins]

Also, thank you for reminding me of The Sopranos.

The series was full of misogynistic, violent, immoral characters, but... damn, that theme song.

[Scout2016]

I've just finished Skin's autobiography. She's been out since fairly young but she didn't detail any LGBT specific activism. Other activism though, a lot around FGM and refugees. Also a fair bit of politics, rescuing young girls from other rock stars...the whole band sound like very decent individuals.
The style of the book is a bit chatty for my taste but I found her interesting and admirable. If you're a fan I'd recommend it.