Ok, I am going to outrageously date myself here by telling you that I have loved Cyndi Lauper since she first hit the scene when I was a teenager in the 1980’s. Most don’t know she was originally the lead member of a band known as Blue Angel, that was not successful. Her debut solo album, in 1983, “She’s So Unusual” was perfectly named.
She is unusual...and in a good way. And her reaction to HB-2 has shown the kind, generous warm-hearted person she is. Her reaction was vintage Cyndi Lauper. She has shown her true colors here. Which of course, was the name of her second album.
While many performers have chosen to boycott North Carolina over HB-2...Cyndi’s reaction was to have her concerts here...turn them into a full-on protest about HB-2...and donate all the proceeds to LBGT charities in North Carolina (particularly EqualityNC.) I so wish I could have snagged tickets for her show last night, but the money just wasn’t there...I am saving everything I have right now for my upcoming trip to Columbus Ohio...where I am attending the national General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association...to bring Action Of Immediate Witness against HB-2 (and HB-1840 in Tennessee and HB-1523 in Mississippi)
We all fight our own ways. Bruce Springsteen and many performers have cancelled, and I appreciate the statement they made by so doing. But Cyndi is facing this thing head on, and she is having the national conversation about transgender people. As a thirteen year post-op, I truly appreciate this...and I appreciate what Cyndi is doing to give us a voice! I daresay she is a far-better ambassador to our community than Caitlyn Jenner ever DREAMED of being.
As an aside to this, if I were not Angela...I would have been Cyndi (yes, spelled her way) because I have always loved her that much. As it was, I named myself after a girl I admired from afar in high school. I sat behind her in homeroom for four years, never once in all that time did she know how much I admired her. I finally got a chance, at our ten-year reunion, to tell Angie just how much I admired her. And I would give anything for Cyndi to know how much I admire and love her!
What is also not necessarily well-known about Cyndi is that she has been touched personally by the transgender issue...she has a transgender family member. Her nephew is a transman.
All of this said, I will not presume to speak for The Pink Lady...I will let her speak for herself...she does an excellent job of it!
This Transgender Tarheel™ loves you, Cyndi!