Another earworm. But this time it conjures flashbacks of the good ol’ days that ever fewer can recollect. It was a time when LGBT survival was a movement made up of an incongruous mix of the disenfranchised. They were gay men, lesbians, transgenders, bisexuals, blacks, whites, Asians, Latinos and Latinas as well as anyone else who faced discrimination by the powers that were. It was an era of communal solidarity that today one can only dream of. I’ve mentioned being chastised for pining away for those days of oppression and romanticizing the energy, élan and motivation of the whole of community. But it’s true. I sometimes do.
So here’s what happened. Last week, the Library of Congress enshrined Gloria Gaynor’s 1978 double-platinum release, “I Will Survive,” in its National Recording Registry. The honor is bestowed on works of cultural, historical or artistic significance; “I Will Survive” represents all three. Ironically composed as a song of personal empowerment with lyrics by Dino Fekaris, it was originally issued as the B-side of a record. At some point, radio DJs flipped the record over. (What song was on the A-side would be a perfect audio “Jeopardy!” question; chances are no one would get it.)
“I Will Survive” immediate took off. It was a personal song for Gaynor. She was in a back brace when recording the song. “That is why I was able to sing that song with such conviction,” she once said. But aside from that, she had grown up in poverty. Her own personal strength had led to her survival and the song led to her success. The hit won her a Grammy and international recognition.
For the gay community, the song hit the air waves barely a decade after Stonewall. Sick of guilt, of gay bashing and of the closet, the gay community now had its anthem. Its minor key, powerful driving beat and those symbolic lyrics of resistance articulated exactly how everyone felt. We were done with the past and would not repeat it. I can still vividly recall the rush to the dance floor at The Factory upon the song’s opening notes. It began like an operatic recitative, narrating the tale of a break-up: “At first I was afraid. I was petrified…,” and then it charges into an emotionally wrenching aria of defiance and self-empowerment: “Oh no, not I. I will survive...”
During the HIV/AIDS crisis the refrain provided solace and hope. Over the decades, it has remained a standard in the drag queen repertoire, surviving because its message is at once deeply personal and universal. No one can listen to it without feeling inspired.
But today, in part due to achieving the very liberation we fought for, our community has become fragmented. We like to magnify our own petty demands for drama’s sake and expect everyone else to survive our egos. But Gaynor’s inspirational song may be just what we need these days to remind us there’s still a bit of adversity to cope with beyond our individual tantrums. We only need to look at Georgia, North Carolina, Oklahoma and perhaps even Wisconsin for trends in anti-LGBT backlash. Our community can only survive united.
