It’s Pride! Throughout June, HollywoodLife is running The Sound Of Pride, a month-long feature where members of the LGBTQ+ community pick songs that should be on your Pride 2022 playlist. Today, actress, activist, singer, Drag Race alum, and Broadway trailblazer Peppermint.
“It definitely seems like the trans community is under attack,” Peppermint said to HollywoodLife in 2021, after a rash of new legislation banned gender-affirming treatments for trans youth, banned trans girls from participating in women’s and girl sports, and more bathroom bills. Though federal judges would strike down some of those laws, Republicans continue to pass intrusive anti-trans legislation.
The Head Over Heels star gave a message to the queer community in 2021, saying that if they “learn about our history, we will see that there are stories of people in our community, our ancestors, fighting against the same type of oppression and worse, for so long. And so we will get through it. Many of these laws and policies are built upon the same cookie-cutter strategies; the same playbook from state to state.”
“I actually think that speaks for itself,” Peppermint tells HollywoodLife in 2022 if she wanted to add to the statement. “However, I do recognize, as a black person, how tired I was of trying to handhold folks through conversations about systemic racism. I’m beginning to feel the fatigue again, as I’m sure the rest of the community is. I won’t quit, but I sure wish more people would get up to speed with their intersectional thinking. We all deserve to feel unabashed joy this Pride.”
The ACLU has a running tracker for all the anti-trans bills introduced in America. GLAAD has a list of things you can do to help transgender equality, while VICE has a list of ways to fight this legislation. The Trevor Project also has a guide to being an ally to trans and nonbinary youth.
You can also catch Peppermint in Hulu’s summer gay rom-com, Fire Island, along with Bowen Yang and Margaret Cho.
Aretha Franklin, “A Deeper Love (Pride)”
Clivilles & Cole, “Pride (In The Name Of Love)”
Peppermint: These songs were the hit songs during one of my happiest Pride moments for me. These songs aren’t necessarily about Pride, but they are certainly in the spirit of it. “Pride” and “In the Name of Love” always get me grooving!
Ultra Nate, “Free”
Peppermint: Ultra Nate is an icon in dance and house music, and her soulfulness soars on free!
Kevin Aviance, “Alive”
Kevin is such a brilliant performer and usually has very dark and sultry music. This song is so light and carefree but still packs the Kevin Aviance punch.
HollywoodLife: What is the vibe of Pride 2022? What do you think will be the overall feel going into this month?
Coming out of the pandemic where many didn’t have stable work and [are now going into] a renewed sense of community… my word is “prosperity.”
You released Moment of Weakness: Letters To My Lovers this year. You’re also going on tour in July with the songs from the album and the short film, A Girl Like Me. What can fans expect when they see you on this tour?
Previously in my music, I’ve been so guarded, afraid to be vulnerable and let people in. This is the real me. I want folks to know what brings me joy!
You list yourself a horror movie buff in your Instagram bio. What horror movies should fans binge during this June?
One of my favorite titles is Return Of The Living Dead and (the 2004 remake of) Dawn of the Dead. And lastly, Ready Or Not, [though it’s] more a thriller than a horror.