Band of the Week, 5/14: Against Me!

Who they are: Against Me! are a punk rock band from Florida. They've been around since the 90s (and some of you weren't even around back then), and have found a way to stay relevant in the punk scene, and are celebrating their fifteenth year of existence in 2012. With a new album titled Transgender Dysphoria Blues in the works, it looks as if they're looking to add a few more years to their career.

Why they're Band of the Week: For reasons completely unrelated to music, to be blunt. If you picked up or received a copy of last week's Rolling Stone (if you haven't, it's available anywhere magazines are sold), you've already read the news that the band's guitarist/lead vocalist/frontman Tom Gabel has come out as a transgender, and has begun the process of becoming a woman. While the news is jarring, there is no way to not talk about it. There are so many different opinions on the matter that have been expressed, but I think the one most fitting for a situation like this is respect. Very few people on this earth know what Laura Grace (the name Gabel will adopt under her new identity) has gone through throughout her life, and therefore, the only thing those who do not know her personally can feel is respect for the life-defining decision she is making. One of the  building blocks of this nation has been the promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (it's in the Declaration of Independence). This is Laura Grace's liberty to change her life in order to continue her pursuit of happiness. Let's all just respect that, okay?

With a decision like this  being made, the question that undoubtedly crosses people's minds is "What happens to the band now?" Without breaking stride, the article (which you really, really need to read) states that the band has already decided (as if they had to in the first place) that they will continue on with Grace. It was likely a simple decision, but one that many Against Me! fans will sleep easier knowing the ease of which it was made. As I said earlier, this has been a jarring piece of news to come out, and all parties have handled  it with incredible professionalism and courage. If you're a fan of Against Me!, punk music, or music in general, it is highly recommended that you read the article in the newest edition of Rolling Stone. It will be, without doubt, one of the most important stories in rock music this year, and possibly in years to come. Best of luck, Laura.