When it comes to confronting anyone who discriminates against transgender youth, Evan Greer and Ryan Cassata ask one simple question: “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
It’s a line that remains on repeat throughout the artists’ new collaboration “Protect Trans Kids (WTFIWWY),” and for good reason. The tune is an urgent rallying cry to support transgender kids — who, in case anyone has forgotten, are still kids, and deserve privacy and basic childhood experiences as much as anyone. “Let ’em play sports / Let ’em have fun / Let ’em go to school,” the verse proclaims (as well as “Let them taking a fucking piss / Without you all up in their fucking business”).
Each line is an ordinary ask, delivered with the conviction of two trans musicians who know that politicians and bigots will attempt to meddle with these daily activities anyway. “It’s a ripper by trans people, for trans people,” says Greer, who’s long combined her artistry and activism as a member of Boston’s music scene. And while “Protect Trans Kids (WTFIWWY)” arrived this morning (March 31), on Transgender Day of Visibility, its impact will last far beyond today.
“I really just want this to be a song that trans youth can scream along to in the car or sneak into the office and blast over the PA at their high school,” Greer (pictured above) told Vanyaland. “Transphobes have gotten more sophisticated in their hateful messaging, and we’ve seen alarming backsliding from allegedly progressive politicians who are happy to throw trans people under the bus in exchange for political capital. They like to say things like ‘it’s complicated’ or ‘I support trans people but…’ The goal of this song is to remind people that it’s actually pretty fucking simple: Let kids be kids. Stop bullying them. Just leave them alone.”
That’s why “Protect Trans Kids (WTFIWWY)” is pure plainspoken punk: One minute and 24 seconds of demanding human decency. In an age where gender affirming care for youth is under attack — and the President of the United States prides himself on attempting to ban trans women and girls from women’s sports — no metaphors or flowery language is needed.
“Sometimes you just need to fucking scream, you know?” Greer says, reflecting on the classic punk elements of the song. “When dealing with a topic like transphobic violence and discrimination, something that carries so much pain for so many people, the structure of old-school political punk can be really helpful in just saying exactly what you mean.”
She adds: “Sometimes it feels like being overtly political in music, even in punk music, has become seen as overly earnest or ‘cringe.’ And let’s be real, there are some pretty cringey so-called protest songs out there. But usually they’re written by people who aren’t actually in the fight they’re singing about. This song is definitely meant to be more cathartic than educational. We’re not trying to win anyone over. We’re literally asking people who are hurting on trans kids what the fuck is wrong with them.”
As the song goes, “Don’t be shit / Let trans kids live.” (And let trans adults live, too.)
Tune in below.