Tom Gabel of Against Me! Comes Out as Transgender
Singer reveals plans to begin living as a woman in the new issue of Rolling Stone



Against Me! singer Tom Gabel reveals plans to begin living as a woman in the new issue of Rolling Stone. Gabel, who has dealt privately with gender dysphoria for years, will soon begin the process of transition, by taking hormones and undergoing electrolysis treatments.

Gabel will eventually take the name Laura Jane Grace, and will remain married to her wife Heather. "For me, the most terrifying thing about this was how she would accept the news," says Gabel. "But she's been super-amazing and understanding."

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."

The full story of Gabel's transformation is in the latest issue, on newsstands this Friday (May 11th). In it, the singer tells Josh Eells about her history of gender dysphoria, the specifics of the transition process and what becoming Laura Jane Grace will mean for the future of Against Me!

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ ... z1uO6f6R5f

That's punk rock!

Wow she has huge balls. Good for her!

Hormone therapy = end of the band. Too bad...had some cool records.

their fanclub gives away band member penis to their analog subscribers. take notes tenclub.

At the risk of being serious and politically incorrect, does the entire world suffer from some sort of mass insanity/willful ignorance on this issue? A sex change is physically impossible (hormones and genital mutilations dont magically change your sex).

Don't get me wrong, I totally buy that wires get crossed and brains and bodies can be born out of sync. I also believe that its a free country and you can do whatever the hell you want. however, this doesnt change the fact that changing sex is impossible with todays medicine. Wouldnt it be better to learn to deal with this than to believe this lie that there is a cure and fuck up the body you are stuck with? Gluing a tail to your ass and calling yourself a kangaroo doesn't make you a kangaroo. Feel free to call me a hater, but in truth I am completely morally indifferent. It just seems pretty fucked up to suggest taking hormones is going to change anything for the better.

i dont think any of us can make that judgment. It might change for better for a lot of people , i dont know i cant judge that.

"Gluing a tail to your ass and calling yourself a kangaroo doesn't make you a kangaroo"

that so narrow minded its scary.

i dont think any of us can make that judgment. It might change for better for a lot of people , i dont know i cant judge that.

"Gluing a tail to your ass and calling yourself a kangaroo doesn't make you a kangaroo"

that so narrow minded its scary.

i assure you my mind is anything but narrow. I'm perfectly open to reasonable opinions why this statement is wrong (sure its rude, whatever, I'm crass). But for now I think the emperor wears no clothes.

I don't think anyone is going to argue that hormone therapy and some body alterations are going to change your chromosomes and make you inherently female. But if you agree that people can be born with crossed wires and gender identity disorders then what's the big deal if someone with that condition wants to emulate what they perceive to be their correct gender to the highest degree that they can?

no big deal, really. I dont fault people for trying, but I'm not sure the benefits outweigh the costs, and there are severe ones. It strikes me as snake oil peddled to desperate people, and society (the non-biblethumping part anyway) seems to ignore that in cheering them on. Many dont find the psychological benefit they were seeking and regret it.

Sure, but it's his (her) body and mind and he's (she's) ultimately the one to decide whether to do something like this.

the real test is whether or not the people who undergo this procedure feel more comfortable with themselves afterwards. If they do, then it's worth it

exactly

is there a kind of gender neutralization process that lenny can consider?

i'm watching this thread

What would you have someone suffering from gender dysphoria do? "Learn to deal with it"?

YOU DON'T HAVE A VAGINA

DEAL WITH IT

Also, how many transgender people do you know? How do you figure this change-- which I can assure you is not taken lightly but rather agonized over for years and years, I've seen it-- is tantamount to dressing up like a kangaroo? When the intended result-- feeling at peace in your own body (as you put it, the body you're stuck with), embracing your true self-- is all that matters? Yeah, the procedure is painful / difficult / excruciating / not a miracle cure. It doesn't technically make you a woman on a genetic level. Everybody knows that, you're not revealing some hidden truth with that nugget of wisdom. But I've seen it make people I love feel truly liberated and happy in ways they never knew before. Gender issues are incredibly complex, sure, and certain peeps can end up making misguided decisions and fucking themselves up for life. Unfortunate. But when it's right, it could be everything they ever wanted-- or at least the first step towards it.

As opposed to embarking on a long, expensive, physically damaging and dangerous series of procedures with debatable psychological benefits, none of which will, to most people, render much of a change in appearance (and certainly not one that will make you appear to be the opposite sex)? I know it sounds cruel, but the whole house of cards seems to depend on everyone being nice and not saying anything. To each his own, but it just seems ridiculous to me. If it does work, great.

but obviously, its not my body so its not my choice, but people should be allowed to talk frankly and have their own opinions about what constitutes a male or female without being called hateful idiots.