WE EXIST. A song that raises awareness for the transgender community!

[GenieGirl]

So today I came across a new music video by the band Arcade Fire, which I'm sure most of the under 40 crowd have heard of. Even though I think the video could have better portrayed the tg community, ie not dressing as quite revealing, I was so excited to see such a main stream band make a song to raise awareness for the tg community. Just another step in the direction of progress. Just thought I'd share this great song. If the band ever makes there way close to here I will defined rely be going as ME :)

Ginger

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hRXc_-c_9Xc

[Marissa]

I saw the vid a few weeks ago and tried to bring some talk of it at another site, but didn't get much of a discussion about it. If I read right, the actor is from the recent Spider Man movie??? I think. Which made it even more interesting to me on how an actor will take that step to portray a character that may shock some. The song was meant for the gay/lesbian area more but chose to use the cd effect on it all. I enjoyed the song..and I"m 50 :)

[GenieGirl]

Thanks for the response Marissa. I have another good friend Marissa who ill be hanging out with next weekend.

Anyways, yes apparently the song was inspired by a group of gay Jamaicans that the band met while visiting Jamaica that inspired the song, while yet most of the stuff i have read about the song has covered mainly the gay community on the subject, apparently the band was focusing on the Transgender community with the video which makes more sense with the title "We Exist". While the gay community has pretty much been accepted as a whole in society now and they are no longer in the shadows, the same cannot....by a long shot be said for the transgender community....be said. We are still seen in the shadows as a third gender....a taboo still. I feel every time I go to a gay club that I am still not accepted, funny enough that I feel more accepted in the "normal" crowd when i go about my day to day business shopping or eating or whatever that I feel like doing when in girl mode. And yes it is the Spider Man character....from what I have researched he felt a strong pull to audition for the part....maybe he feels strongly for the trans community....or possibly is trans and will come out soon...who knows? The lead singer from Against Me was not pleased in how they portrayed the video, in a way i didnt either because it made most trans people seem like skimpy girls who all dress provocatively...ie her outfit....they definitely could have done a much better job there which was my biggest negative about the video, but her biggest proglem seemed to be that the trans lady was not a real trans person....which i had no problem with. I kind of see her point as far as that goes but am happy that a nontrans person was so passionate enough to take the role and hopefully in the future make a stand and be a big supporter for us all!.....I just wished that the directors would have dressed him more appropriate to not portray us as skimpy "trannys".........

[BOBBI G.]

I had never heard of Arcade Fire, and I am way over 40, and 50, etc. I listened to it, and will be the proud owner of the album later today.
Thanks for posting the U-tube thingy, don't know what it is called. Yes, I'm way over 60, also.

Bobbi

[Raychel]

Great song and video, even for those of us in the over 40 crowd, :daydreaming:

[samantha rogers]

Wow, nice video and tune. I do know Arcade Fire, and have there earlier stuff (love the tune called "keep the car running" or something like that) but I have not been paying attention lately and I didnt know they had a new one out. Thanks, Ginger!

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Ginger, I really think that the younger generation will be much more accepting of our ways.

[Amy Fakley]

WOW WOW WOW!
I've been sort of on the fence with Arcade Fire for the past few years ... but that was perfect. Great song, good groove, excellent message, the video had choreographed lumberjacks in heels, and even managed to give that moment some gravitas. Amazing, LOL.

Just at an artistic level that was better than about 99% of what I've been hearing/seeing lately :-)

[GenieGirl]

That's awesome Bobbi. Glad to see you can become a fan even in the over 60 crowd!

Sam, tbh I had listened to their new album a while back and wasn't blown away by it or anything. But after finding out about this song I will be revisiting this albulm today to give it another hear :)

Amy glad you liked it. I was a big fan of their older stuff but this video/song made me a bigger fan!

[I Am Paula]

I have no problem with the song itself, but once again, they did not use a transgender actor. Since this happens over, and over again, I have to assume that all transgender people are talentless hacks, and not fit to be seen in movies, television, and video.

[samantha rogers]

I have no problem with the song itself, but once again, they did not use a transgender actor. Since this happens over, and over again, I have to assume that all transgender people are talentless hacks, and not fit to be seen in movies, television, and video.

Paula, while I understand your position, and agree with it in spirit, as an actor, I can tell you a lot of TG performers might not want to out themselves. The same point came up in a discussion about a TG reality show not too long ago.
For a producer getting something like this together in a hurry, and looking for an attractive performer who can both act and dance, to then be faced with searching for a performer who first meets those traits, and is TG and is willing to be out...well its a potentially daunting task, especially with a deadline as I am sure they had. I have sat through plenty of auditions on both sides, and it is astonishing how many bad performers there are, and that is among the entire talent pool. I am not saying they could not have found someone good who was TG, but just that it is asking an awful lot of them. Frankly, at this point, I will take this video and applaud it and happily save the other battle for later. :battingeyelashes:

[JamieG]

Thanks for sharing. I have an older Arcade Fire album. Maybe I need to check out more of their recent stuff...

[arbon]

I liked the song but it is supposedly about a gay son coming out to his father so I don't get why they did the video depicting a trans or crossdresser? Do they think gay = dressing as a woman?

[Tami Monroe]

I thought it was a great song and the video was interesting. I am familiar with Arcade Fire, as I am into the alternative genre of music more than any other. (God how many times do we have to hear the same pop songs over again during a workday?) Anyway I did a little digging and found out this video has sparked some interesting responses:

http://www.stereogum.com/1683386/laura-jane-grace-responds-to-arcade-fires-defense-of-we-exist-video/news/

http://www.stereogum.com/1683285/arcade-fires-win-butler-responds-to-criticism-of-we-exist-video/news/

There were a couple other links through these pages as well.

It was interesting that Laura Jane Grace, the TG lead singer of the group Against Me! had a problem with a mainstream actor playing the lead over a TG actor. To me, it doesn't matter. The identity of the actor aside, the way he was depicted trying on variants of outfits would be just like any one of us doing the same thing.

Anywho...I liked it and thought the video was pretty well done. Leave it to some beer-swilling rednecks to screw up a good time, huh? (Speaking as a former redneck myself, I can throw that accusation).

[devida]

I've liked Arcade Fire for many years but this video brought tears to my eyes. Good for them for helping to make all of us just a little bit more visible. I also really liked the bit at the beginning where they go through all their outfits trying to find one that works for them that day. I certainly do that every morning, tho with a bit less drama! Thanks, Ginger!

[GenieGirl]

I understand were you are coming from Paula about it should have been portrayed by an actual trans person. I don't have a problem with them using a non trans person as long as they represented trans people properly. The director considered using a trans person for the role actually, but when the actor specifically called up for this role "he is the actor in Spiderman", that he was strongly compelled to play this role well it made it hard to turn him down. Its great to see others willing to step up for the right cause like that.

I second you Sam, it might have been hard to find a transgirl to cast for the fact that some wish to stay in the safe, some who pass want to continue being known exclusively as women and leave their old ties behind which is understandable....which could greatly reduce the talent selection among the tg candidates.

Jamie, personally I like their older stuff better. Not really feeling their new album much. Listened to it again today to give it another shot but im still not really feeling it much. Just a few songs are good to my liking.

That's not it at all Arbon, they are not trying to say that being gay and trans are the same. The song was written about a gay son like you said, inspired by some homeless gays they met at a music festival in jamaica and the discrimination they face. The video was meant to portray the same feeling from the transgenders perspective. All in all, the song We Exist speaks out to all groups who fit into the taboos of the world is tg, gays, goths, emos that the world wants to forget about and disregard.

Tammi, ditto. I feel that she overreacted with her comments about and hopefully she sees it in a different light now. I am a fan of Against me BTW and want to see them play if they ever make it close enough to me. I actually liked their music before I even knew the lead singer was trans. I did not even find out she was trans till a few months back after someone was talking about the band and the lead singer.

You're welcome Devida. Glad you really got something out of the video :). Glad it can bring some inspiration!

Ginger

[Marissa]

I'm glad that the topic of video/song was presented here..as I hope it is done in other sites/venues. I tried to discuss it in another site but most didn't know the band or how to take the vid. Eitherway, if one sees it and shares it.. that is a foot print. And if you don't understand footprints, read about the one on the moon that remains forever :)

Thank you, Ginger for this thread.

[GenieGirl]

Thank you Marissa :)

[Alice Torn]

It is interesting. I am an over 60, and mostly listen to classical. I also wish they had portrayed to TG person in more everday more conservative clothes. Watching the men in the bar go after him, kind of scares me now, from going into one dressed alone.

[samantha rogers]

Hey Ginger, I have the album too. It is uneven but some cuts are really good. I really like Normal Person. That cut rocks! Anyway, its worth it just for We Exist. And its a great dance tune, too! I can't stop playing it and it always makes me want to start shimmying...tee hee. You know how I love to dance!:heehee:

[GenieGirl]

I agree Alice. I wished they would have dressed them normal. To me the skanky clothes make it seem more circus like. If you see my post from this weekend...well umm....dont judge my outfit. It was a concert. lol.

Glad you like the albulm Sam and keep on dancing!

[Sara Jessica]

Arcade Fire are terrific (Ready To Start from 2010's The Suburbs is one of my favs of theirs). And for the older set, keep in mind that the title track from the REFLEKTOR album features David Bowie on backing vocals.

As for "We Exist", try and do something positive and there is still backlash. I hear sexual orientation in the lyrics but the trans angle adds to the theatre of the music video. And the casting decision was apparently very thoughtful but the star power in the choice will probably help this video have more of an impact with the masses.

Either way, well done Arcade Fire!!!