The Gay Grammys: A Much Needed Celebration of Pride and Visibility

 The first few weeks of the semester are always the perfect opportunity to do all of the fun things you know you’re going to miss out on later on. In my case, it seemed like the greatest idea ever to attend a watch party for the 67th annual Grammys. Evidently, my mental lucidity has taken a hit this week, after staying up all night on a Sunday just to watch a ceremony that I would inevitably catch up on via clips on the internet. Nevertheless, it was worth it just for the beautiful moments of queer representation sprinkled throughout the night.

It can be easy to dismiss award shows, particularly from a queer perspective, as they typically reward normative art with mass appeal, where queer voices are less likely to be visible. Yet, through the awards themselves, as well as the input of many attendees, performers, and winners, the 2025 Grammys succeeded in uplifting and celebrating queer identities at a time when we need it the most.

ID: Chappell Roan

First and foremost, the Midwest Princess herself Chappell Roan (pictured alongside) accepted the award for Best New Artist. This is an incredible win for the lesbian pop genre, which has been steadily growing since Hayley Kiyoko broke into the mainstream with “Girls Like Girls” almost a decade ago. Beyond that, Chappell performed her iconic queer anthem “Pink Pony Club” to an ecstatic audience. The singer, who many have called a “lesbian drag queen” also spoke up for her community at various points, explicitly referring to her gay identity in her pre-performance snippet, and calling for the protection of trans people in a red-carpet interview.

Another exciting win was from Doechii, who took home the Best Rap Album award, becoming only the third woman in history to do so. The dynamic, provocative rapper identifies as bisexual, revealing in an interview with the Gay Times in October that she is in a relationship with a woman. With a show-stopping performance which combined her tracks “Catfish” and “Denial Is A River,” Doechii (who was also nominated for best new artist) has cemented herself as an exciting up-and-coming queer artist to watch out for.

ID: Janelle Monae

Of note also were the incredible performances by Cynthia Erivo and Janelle Monae as part of a tribute medley to the late Quincy Jones. The latter in particular put on a mesmerising gender-bending show, embodying Michael Jackson with a stunning rendition of his song “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough” (pictured alongside). Erivo, who identifies as bisexual, and Monae, who describes themselves as pansexual, nonbinary, and polyamorous, are not new to the music scene (unlike our winners mentioned above); the Wicked star won a Grammy in 2017 while the singer of the hit “Make Me Feel” achieved her first win as early as 2009. However, their obvious joy and pride at witnessing the rise of a new wave of queer stars suggests that mainstream media might just be moving in the right direction.

Last but not least, it would be a tragedy to ignore Lady Gaga’s contributions to queer visibility on this incredible night. Having become a legendary gay icon since the early days of her career with the revolutionary “Born This Way,” it is no surprise that Mother Monster continues to speak out for our community. Gaga confidently spoke up for trans people in her acceptance speech for best pop duo/group (which she received alongside Bruno Mars), asserting that “trans people are not invisible.” Also, during an ad break, the artist aired a brand new music video for her previously unreleased song “Abracadabra,” with bold visuals reminiscent of the ballroom scene. As always, Lady Gaga both references and creates queer history.

While some may (rightly) criticise award shows for becoming a thinly veiled ploy to allow the rich and famous to gain even more wealth and notoriety, they do occasionally celebrate the revolutionary projects developed by artists in the margins. In the era of music streaming, the art form is more accessible than ever. By uplifting queer voices and awarding queer artists with the highest of recognitions, the 67th annual Grammys have taken a crucial step towards ensuring that the most vulnerable in our community may find spaces in which they don’t have to feel alone.

By Blanca (she/her)