She Speaks
By Deb Taylor

The Indigo Girls have found themselves in a fight more intense than their support for Mother Earth and handgun control as they have become embroiled in a civil rights battle over lesbians being able to sing for high school students in South Carolina.

The Grammy Award-winning duo, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, were slated to give a free half-hour performance during a May 7 talent show at Irmo High School near Columbia, South Carolina. Irmo High School Principal Gerald Witt canceled the show, saying it was because Saliers and Ray are lesbians.

In response, a high school in Tennessee also cancelled an IG performance.  "It hurts my feelings, but I understand prejudice and where hate comes from," Emily said. "I know that it is in the world and it's not just directed towards gay people, but it's directed towards lots of groups of people.”

Geez.  Remember when we were merely listening to Amy Ray whine over the break up with her partner in nearly every song on the Shaming of the Sun CD?

Well, she’s beyond whining now. The Indigo Girls played in Columbia anyway to about 1,600 people. Admission was free to students and $15 for parents. Kudos to them for seeing the controversy through and not giving up.  Had the Indigo Girls quietly let the cancellation happen and moved on to other gigs (“Come on, Amy, let’s Get Out The Map and get the hell outta here!”), think of the negative impact that would have had on lesbigay youth in Columbia and everywhere.  But that didn’t happen; instead, queer youth were able to see two proud lesbians stand up and cry “foul.”

As it stands, the controversy has had quite a learning impact on Columbia, particularly the students at Irmo High School.  On the day the concert was to be performed, about 200 Irmo students walked out of their school briefly to protest their principal’s decision to cancel the concert. Consequently, administrators suspended the dozen or so students who remained outside for more than an hour.

The suspended students and their parents did not take this action lightly.  Result? The ACLU recently filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of five of the ten suspended students. The lawsuit alleges that Irmo High officials violated the students' constitutional rights to protest the principal's decision to cancel an Indigo Girls concert. The suit asks a judge to overturn the suspensions, clear students' records and order the school district to pay damages and lawyer fees.

Wow. All this over an Indigo Girls concert.  Aren’t homophobes silly? And isn’t hatred ugly and bitter?

I feel sorry for the Indigo Girls, but I have to say that I’m glad of their response. The folks at Irmo High and Columbia are having to look head on at their own homophobia right now.  Here is a parent’s response from Irmo:

“. . . what a cruel hateful message to send the gay and lesbian students under [the Irmo high school principal’s] care! This decision says that regardless of their talent, their deeds, or their hard work, they are not welcome; they are not worthy.”

From another parent:
“The students are able to see firsthand how intolerant and myopic their community is, as well as how unwilling their school administration is to stand behind its decision and how willing it is to compromise convictions when faced with any thought-provoking controversy.”

Remember the high school in Tennessee that also cancelled an IG concert? A mother went so far as to post this response to the Indigo Girls message board:

“I am ashamed to be a member of this community. I have always prided myself in the way that I have raised my daughter to be blind to race, gender, sexual preference, etc. . . . . I just feel like I would like to apologize to you guys on behalf of the ignorant part of Knoxville, TN that you witnessed last week. You girls keep up the good work and keep the positive attitudes!”

At the free concert in Columbia, Amy Ray said this during a concert encore:
"We want to thank Irmo's teachers, students and faculty for supporting us.  I understand Irmo has a really strong music program, and we encourage you take part in it."

Not exactly what you thought you’d hear from the Closer to Fine Girls, but Chastity Bono is no longer just Sonny and Cher’s daughter, and Ellen DeGeneres isn’t just Ellen can’t-keep-a-man Morgan anymore.  I applaud the courage of these brave lesbians; I am glad to see that we are finally getting positive role models for our queer youth.

Amy and Emily are scheduled to appear June 4 on Late Night with David Letterman. Given the worldwide publicity of the South Carolina controversy, I wonder if they’ll joke with David about being lesbians.  Who knows? Thankfully, nothing’s predictable anymore.
 

  Back to FHO May 98 Home Page