There is arguably, no better example of free advertising than the Village People’s 1978 hit YMCA. Although, the Christian organisation didn’t always see the queer anthem that way. When the track was first released, they threatened legal action against the band. But now, almost four decades on, the Australian branch of the global group have put bad blood aside to embrace the track and in turn the queer community it’s tied to.
They’re partnering with Boy George to rerecord the song to raise money for their Why Not? campaign that works to bring visibility to issues that impact young Australians. Speaking to the Guardian, CEO of YMCA Australia Melinda Crole said they decided to embrace the song’s queer history as a way to “be a social movement for young people…When you listen to the reason why the song was written and listen to the verses, then you see it fits with our social mission.” She added, “Research shows an overwhelming link between marriage equality and mental health – we are prepared to stand up for that”
Hey, better 39 years late than never, right?
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Text Wendy Syfret