Most of us were livid when we heard of #45's brainless Twitter statement about his ban on transgender troops in the US Military. We took to social media to announce our disgust once again with orange politics. Then there are others that can create a moving response like the one below.
Tired of staying silent in the face of oppression and injustice, critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Wrabel bravely speaks out with his new song "The Village," accompanied by an impactful video created in partnership with Spotify. Featuring trans actor August Aiden, the emotional video directed by Dano Cerny gives insight into the difficult experience known all too well to the trans community.
In addition, Wrabel penned an open letter regarding "The Village".
i wrote this song on february 23rd. the day after trump took away federal protections for trans students in public schools. today i release it, just days after he tweeted to ban trans people from serving in the military.
i just wanted to write a simple song letting anyone that feels like an outsider know that the problem isn't you, it's them. it's the village. not in an aggressive us vs. them way, but just because you are the minority… just because people whisper "freak" when u walk down the hall… all of these things… it's so hard out there… i know it is. these things aren't pointing towards something wrong with YOU they're pointing to a humongous problem with the majority… the "them". there's nothing wrong with you, there's something wrong with the village.
two of my biggest supporters are trans teenagers. i've had the chance to meet their families. to get to know them. to hear about their struggles and dreams. hi. if you guys are reading this, i need to say thank you. thank you for being YOU. thank you for being honest and courageous and bold and vulnerable and transparent and true. you inspire me to be myself. you inspire me to be fearless in my self expression. my heart breaks for you. what this man is saying and doing. it has to stop. he is giving the village permission to hate. to look at those who are different as wrong and lesser than. i don't know how else to raise my voice than in a song. and so, i wrote a song for you.
i came out as gay at around 23. i grew up in the church. i came out into a church in los angeles that called it "same sex attraction". it was wrong. i was wrong. it was evil. i was evil. "unnatural" they called it. "unnatural" they called me. i can't pretend like i know what it's like to be trans. to feel those feelings and know those struggles. all i can do is try to speak up and try to relate.
there's nothing wrong with you, there's something wrong with the village.
Of course what comes to mind is It Takes a Village: And Other Lessons Children Teach Us, the book published in 1996 by then First Lady of the United States Hillary Rodham Clinton. In it, Clinton presents her vision for the children of America. She focuses on the impact individuals and groups outside the family have, for better or worse, on a child's well-being, and advocates a society which meets all of a child's needs.
During his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, Republican Party nominee Bob Dole said: "… with all due respect, I am here to tell you, it does not take a village to raise a child. It takes a family to raise a child." Criticism of Clinton's notion would continue to be made by American conservatives such as Rush Limbaugh, Andrea Tantaros, and Jonah Goldberg through the next two decades and still to this day.
Is there something wrong in the village? Most definitely.
But there is something else the village can do bedsides help and raise the children of their community together. They can also point out the village idiot.
