Queercore

Queercore (or homocore) is a cultural and social movement that began in the mid-1980s as an offshoot of punk. It is distinguished by its discontent with society in general, and specifically society's disapproval of the gay, bisexual, lesbian and transgender communities. Queercore expresses itself in a DIY style through zines, music, writing, art and film.

As a musical genre, it may be distinguished by lyrics exploring themes of prejudice and dealing with issues such as sexual identity,gender identity and the rights of the individual; more generally bands offer a critique of society endemic to their position within it, sometimes in a light-hearted way, sometimes seriously. Musically, many queercore bands originated in the punk scene but the industrial music culture has been influential as well. Queercore groups encompass many genres such as hardcore punk, electropunk, indie rock, power pop, No Wave, noise, experimental, industrial and others.

History

Origins

In the early 80s, several US hardcore bands wrote queer-themed songs, and Gary Floyd of The Dicks along with Randy Turner of Big Boys were notable in both being out and outspoken gay men. In England, in the anarcho-punk scene, Andy Martin of The Apostles was equally forthright. Politically motivated US bands such as MDC and 7 Seconds also introduced anti-homophobia messages into their songs at this time, while the Nip Drivers were included a song "Quentin", dedicated to Quentin Crisp, in their repertoire.