Punk singer Tom Gabel from Against Me! comes out as transgender and plans to begin living as a woman

 

Tom Gabel, the married lead singer of Florida punk rock band Against Me!, has revealed plans to become a woman.

Taking on the name Laura Jane Grace, the 31-year-old singer tells Rolling Stone magazine's June issue that she suffered gender dysphoria for years and as a child felt disconnected from her body.

Gracel says she will soon begin the physical transition by taking hormones and undergoing electrolysis, and is also considering gender reassignment surgery.

"Growing up, my experience with transsexualism was nothing but shame," she says.

Grace says she is not attracted to men and will still be married to wife Heather.

"For me, the most terrifying thing about this was how she would accept the news,.. but she's been super-amazing and understanding," Grace tells Rolling Stone.

The couple have a two-year-old daughter.

Because Grace is the first major rock musician to come out as transgender she says she felt it important to talk openly about it to the magazine.

Following the announcement of the news on Rolling Stone's website, 'Tom Gabel' soon became a trending topic on Twitter, with other punk musicians and fans offering messages of support.

Itch, of recently disbanded UK ska-punk band The King Blues wrote on the micro-blogging site: "Take pride in being whoever the f*ck you want to be @tommygabel"

New Jersey punk rockers The Gaslight Anthem left a message on their blog criticising those that had condemned Grace's decision.

Attributed to not one single band member, but signed off 'Gossip Girl XOXO', the post read: "How about you leave the guy alone. How about you let another human being make a decision about their lives without your snide prejudices and bigotry?"

Against Me! are best known for the song 'Thrash Unreal', and although not widely recognised in the mainstream music scene in the UK, have released five full-length studio albums. Their 2005 album Searching for a Former Clarity reached number one in the US Billboard Heatseekers chart.

The group will go on tour in the US with The Cult later this month.

The June issue of Rolling Stone, which features the full interview, comes out in the US on Friday.

*This article previously referred to Gabel/Grace with the pronoun 'he'. For sensitivity, this has since been changed, with the female pronoun - used in the original Rolling Stone news article - adopted.

Independent Comment
blog comments powered by Disqus
Top stories
News in pictures
World news in pictures
UK news in pictures
UK news in pictures
More stories
       
Independent
Travel Shop
India and Shimla
14 nights from only £1899pp Find out more
Prague city break
Three nights from £199pp Find out more
4* Soreda hotel break, Malta
Seven nights all-inclusive from £399pp Find out more
Independent Dating
and  

By clicking 'Search' you
are agreeing to our
Terms of Use.

Day In a Page

James Pembroke: The man who's eaten everywhere

The man who's eaten everywhere

Few people know more about restaurants than James Pembroke, who only spent five mealtimes at home during his entire childhood.
A Berliner in 1963 – but did John F Kennedy once admire Adolf Hitler?

A Berliner in 1963 – but did John F Kennedy once admire Adolf Hitler?

The young JFK praised 'superior' Nordic races during visits to Germany
Banned Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof to attend Cannes Film Festival 2013, his first public appearance since prison

Banned Iranian director to attend Cannes Film Festival

Mohammad Rasoulof to make his first public appearance since being imprisoned three years ago
Seeing the larger picture: Inspiring images of space

Seeing the larger picture: Inspiring images of space

An exhibition explores images how photography has shaped astronomy
Eat Spam and carry on: Wartime pamphlets could teach us a thing or two about healthy, thrifty eating

Eat Spam and carry on

Wartime pamphlets could teach us a thing or two about healthy, thrifty eating
Facial hair: Cat beards and the purrrsuit of excellence

Facial hair

Cat beards and the purrrsuit of excellence
The 10 Best salt and pepper sets

The 10 Best salt and pepper sets

Whether they're for everyday use or to make your dining table look just right, it's worth getting a stylish shaker...
Ferran Soriano: Predicting success if Manchester City 'vision' is followed

Ferran Soriano: Predicting success if Manchester City 'vision' is followed

Chief executive says trophies will come if a 'core' of suitable players is in place
Thomas Müller: We couldn't handle losing a Champions League Final again

Thomas Müller: We couldn't handle losing a Champions League Final again

The Bayern Munich forward tells Tim Rich his side have to shed chokers' tag after two recent final defeats
Giro d'Italia: The Stelvio Pass - cycling's killer climb

The Stelvio Pass - cycling's killer climb

As the Giro d'Italia tackles the brutal climb, Simon Usborne takes on the snow and switchbacks – and soon realises what the fuss is about
National archives: Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them

Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them

Newly unearthed papers reveal a shocking extra dimension to the constitutional crisis over monarch’s abdication
Sent down at the Old Bailey: A tour of the world's most famous court

Sent down at the Old Bailey

A tour of the world's most famous court
Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness

Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness

The Hangover actor Zach Galifianakis’s date for his movie premieres isn’t arm candy  – it’s his 87-year-old friend who he saved from homelessness
British football scores an own goal

British football scores an own goal

Many managers barely survive a year in post. Martin Baker talks to experts who make a case for clubs using forensic business skills to find the best staff
James Lawton: Sergio Garcia cracks as major fault line opens up again

James Lawton

Sergio Garcia cracks as major fault line opens up again