In a new issue of Rolling Stone, Tom Gabel, singer of the band Against Me!, announced plans to start transitioning into a woman.

She will eventually go by the name Laura Jane Grace, will stay married to her wife Heather, and plans to take hormones and undergo electrolysis treatments. She says she’s been dealing with gender dysphoria privately for years.

Gabel only told a handful of family and friends about her plan to transition before talking to Rolling Stone. Because this is the first time a major rock star has come out as transgender, the singer made a point of speaking openly about it. “I’m going to have embarrassing moments,” says Gabel, “and that won’t be fun. But that’s part of what talking to you is about – is hoping people will understand, and hoping they’ll be fairly kind.”

More power to her. 

The band fun., currently taking the U.S. by storm with their single “We Are Young,” have announced they’d like to start a nonprofit organization benefiting the cause of marriage equality.

fun. has already collaborated with the LGBT merch store Revel and Riot, making this super cool shirt and donating the proceeds to the store’s pro-LGBT fund. Now they want to take the next step in the fight for equality. From the Advocate:

The musicians, all of whom are straight, see the opportunity to use their new platform to bring attention to an issue about which they’re equally passionate —LGBT rights. The three men “hope to establish a nonprofit organization in support of same-sex marriage,”according to thePost.

“We’re firm believers in the idea that if you’re not talking about it, you’re part of the problem,” Antonoff says. “We realize we have an audience, and it would be a real shame to waste it.”

Zam. Let’s see what comes of this - it could be pretty awesome. 

fun. partnered with Revel & Riot to create this awesome shirt and push for LGBT equality. More.

A new site called Yo!LGBTRaps recently launched as a forum for all things LGBT and rap. An explanation in the founders’ own words:

We started this Video Channel x BLOG to support the LGBT comunity. We feel the void in mainstream so who better to create a mainstream for us than us!

Definitely a good concept and solid idea, since there isn’t a huge amount of LGBT-oriented rap out there. However, the site is clearly still pretty new and still has a long way to go. There’s potential here, though, so check them out at the link above! 

Lady Gaga will release her first-ever holiday album, A Very Gaga Holiday, next week. Put your (reindeer) paws up. More. 

Remember that girl in pink who danced awkwardly in Rebecca Black’s infamous Friday video? She hopes you do.

Her name is Benni Cinkle, and after she was bullied online for her dancing in Friday, she started efforts to help others who experience bullying and depression. She’s put together a guide to “surviving the Internet” and her foundation/web site, thatgirlinpink.org, lists resources for kids who need help. Her single “Can You See Me Now?” addresses these issues too, especially in the hard-hitting video (laden with trigger warnings for self-harm, eating disorders, abuse and bullying, so watch at your own risk). 

The Advocate.com article linked above gives you more information about her budding pop career, plus information about up-and-coming singer Holly Elle, another younger artist hoping to raise awareness of LGBT issues like bullying.

And they say something’s wrong with our generation. 

I see this song in a whole new way now. It’s still one of my favorites.