So what exactly is Queercore? It’s a subgenre of the musical genre punk and it’s pretty fucking awesome! Queercore is also often referred to as Homocore. It’s a way for Punk music to focus on social issues emphasizing gay, lesbian, transgendered and non-binary people.

Now this fact just might blow you away but did you know in the early stages of punk and the punk scene that it was composed of mostly straight, white males? Out of this a lot of issues arose for women and gay men and that’s when two major genres were created. The one focused on feminism and women’s right and the bands that stemmed from this are referred to as Riot grrrl’s.

The other is the one that I just told you about and that’s the Queercore movement that started in the mid-80’s. What highlights the fact that these bands are Queercore is not only the presence of many gay members but also lyrics that bring forth themes of discrimination, equal rights, sexual and gender identity and the way that society works.

It’s important when thinking of Queercore to not ignorantly dismiss it as those who are gay or gender fluid attempting to take it over or isolate them but rather as a way to fit into a group that often times did not accept them.

Queercore, like most punk genres, has also saturated their movement by showing their views and values through patches, and DIY art, zines (very popular mini magazines,) writing, visual art and film.

In the years since its creation Queercore has become so popular that it has also spread into other subgenres such as hardcore punk, electropunk, indie rock, industrial and others.

If listening to Queercore is something you’re interested in doing. I’ll introduce you to one of my favorite Queercore bands; Pansy Division, who become so popular that they opened for Green Day in 1994 on their tour to promote the album, Dookie.

They are an incredibly popular and more melodic, all male Queercore band. They formed in San Francisco, California in 1991. They posted an ad in the paper that asked for “gay musicians into the Ramones, Buzzcocks and early Beatles” Their intent is to breakdown the stereotype that gay men only listen to show tunes and pop divas.

Learn more about Pansy Division from a documentary they released:

Did we miss any of your favorite Queercore bands? Let us know in the comments or keep the conversation going on Twitter @AllMaleDating