The Wheel and Axle

“I am not a traditional gay icon. There’s been no tragedy in my life, only tragic outfits.”

– Kylie Minogue

Taking a quick break from Wonder Week, I just had to give space here to celebrate the birthday of the one and only Kylie Minogue, princess of pop!

The fact is, only Kylie can truly claim to be the heir to Madonna’s throne. Her long and ubiquitous career spanning almost over three decades shows just how versatile and amazing the woman is. She has faced personal difficulties, survived breast cancer, experimented in her music (I cannot be the only one who loved Did It Again from her Impossible Princess phase), campaigned against child abuse, been a gay icon and LGBT supporter, and been an inspiration to women everywhere.

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We all have our guilty pleasures. One of these, for me, is the campy yet surprisingly earworm-inducing late 90s pop group Steps, who many considered as a bit of a spiritual successor of the glorious and amazing ABBA.

Well, since 90s pop group reunions seem to be all the rage these days, of course Steps cannot be left behind, can they? So here they are, back for their 20th anniversary with a new song.

And as always, it just stays in your head.

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You have your heroes. I have mine.

Last February, a dream came true over thirty years in the making. Despite all the criticism she has gotten through the decades, Madonna has always been someone I looked up to. Unapologetic, driven, doesn’t give a shit: she knows she’s doing it to empower the outcasts, the marginalized, the people that society deem to be lesser.

Pretending to contain my excitement.

For many people growing up gay in the 80s and 90s, Madonna was a woman who inspired them by believing in them and treating them like human beings. Madonna was an active supporter of LGBT rights during a time when it was unpopular to do so – a time when being so vocal and norm-challenging could have ruined her career. Shits were not given as, despite opposition, she forged on and helped shine the spotlight on the rainbow community.

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