Gay female country artist

• This 1960s artist was the first openly lesbian country singer.

• While her fans were not aware, she was never in the closet to her producer or others in the industry.

• Most of her love songs were non-gendered.

• For each like song to a man, she negotiated to record any song of her choice.

• She opened the first lesbian prevent in Nashville, The Hitchin' Post.

Impact

Wilma demonstrated the power of negotiation to increase representation and independence of creative expression.

Explore the music

Self-reflection

What is one thing you're not happy with and could utilize negotiation to improve?

• Before coming out in 1992, this legendary artist already had an androgynous style.

• Her country hits have won Grammy, Juno, Academy of Country Music, an
  
  

  9 Canadian Country Artists Who Are Part Of The LGBTQ Community

  Every June, people around the earth celebrate Pride month. It’s a day to the uplift LGBTQ voices, commemorate LGBTQ culture and support LGBTQ rights. And it’s period that country song joined in the fun!

  Country music has a historic reputation of being an unwelcoming space for artists who don’t fit the mould. As the years go on, this is slowly transforming … thankfully! It’s so important to hear music from all perspectives, and all walks of life.

  Earlier in 2021, T.J. Osborne from The Brothers Osborne came out. This made him the first openly gay artist signed to a major country label. A HUGE milestone for the country genre. And largely, audiences have been supportive. Of course, there’s the predictable negative comments. But all in all, the news was received well.

  That alone shows progress. The evidence that his label stood behind him, made it perceive like it was different … that change was in the air.

  Another indicator of change we noticed was that in the last couple years, there has been a consistent increase in people searching for gay country artists in Google. (Google h

  “The main stories in country are loneliness, heartbreak, disappointment, unrequited love,” remarked Orville Peck, the fringe-masked crooner at the forefront of the genre’s LGBTQ shift. “I think that those are things that are felt by almost every queer person at some point in their lives, and sometimes for a long part of our lives.” However, it’s only in the streaming age that the Nashville scene has started to accept that region music and queerness don’t depend on to be mutually exclusive terms.  

  With traditional media no longer fit to serve as gatekeepers, a whole world of country artists who don’t fit the heteronormative mold have been able to get their music, and their message, out there to the masses. Everyone from non-binary singer-songwriter Paisley Fields to trans designer Mya Byrne to Black homosexual twin duo The Kentucky Gentlemen have built up loyal followings, though without much mainstream recognition. In addition to her other roles as a television celestial body, makeup company owner, bar and motel proprietor, DJ, podcaster, and YouTube sensation, Trixie Mattel has become the most successful musical alum from the Emmy award-winning RuPaul’s Drag Race with over a quarter
  
  

  Country Artists Who Have Advance Out as Gay [PICTURES]

  Ty Herndon and Billy Gilman made headlines in November 2014 by revealing they were gay within hours of each other ... but they weren't the first country artists to make such an announcement, nor the last.

  From Chely Wright -- the first well-known country star to come out, in 2010 -- to songwriter Shane McAnally, there have been a few others helping pave the way in the country music industry. On Feb. 3, Brothers Osborne member TJ Osborne came out publicly, in a highlight in Time. That makes him one of the very limited out country artists signed to a major or large independent record label, along with Brooke Eden, who recently got engaged to her longtime girlfriend, Hilary Hoover.

  "I want to get to the height of my career creature completely who I am," says the singer, who's now released three major-label albums with his brother John. "I mean, I am who I am, but I've kept a part of me muted, and it's been stifling."

  Click through the gallery below to learn more about country's LGBTQ+ artists: