"Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" is a song by American rock band Aerosmith. It was released as the first of four singles from the Permanent Vacation album in 1987. The track reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 41 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, number four on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, number 22 on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart and number 45 on the UK Singles Chart. It was re-released in early 1990 and peaked at number 20 in the UK. The song was written by lead singer Steven Tyler, lead guitarist Joe Perry and songwriter Desmond Child.
Controversy
"Every four or five year old child in America was able to sing that song. It was like, do you realize this is about a tranny?"[10]
— Desmond Child
Despite the song's mainstream success, "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" has often been accused of being transphobic, with "its lyrics and music video’s offensive insinuations about trans women."[8] In a 2012 interview, Child said about the song, "I talked Aerosmith into the whole scenario of a guy that walks into a strip joint and falls in love with the stripper on stage, goes backstage and finds out it's a guy."[11] In 2019, Child confirmed that the song was about a man who "just walks into a bar and sees this gorgeous blonde up on the stage and then goes backstage after the show and then she 'whips out a gun, tries to blow me away.'"[9]
Vox's Abbey White pointed out that "the song also plays on the idea that trans women intentionally deceive men or are 'in disguise', that they are unattractive or repulsive... and at one point mixes pronouns, going from 'Oh she like it' in one line to 'Oh, he was a lady,' in the next."[8][irrelevant citation]
Child has refuted all allegations of transphobia, describing the song as "accepting" because of the lyric "never judge a book by its cover, or who you're going to love by your lover."[9][11]
On August 27, 2013, Fox News played this song while introducing Chelsea Manning. As well as the network's use of masculine pronouns and Manning's original name, playing this song received backlash by commentators.[12]
After Caitlyn Jenner called "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" her "theme song" in 2017, backlash ensued from fans and from LGBT activists due to the perceived transphobia
Controversy
"Every four or five year old child in America was able to sing that song. It was like, do you realize this is about a tranny?"[10]
— Desmond Child
Despite the song's mainstream success, "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" has often been accused of being transphobic, with "its lyrics and music video’s offensive insinuations about trans women."[8] In a 2012 interview, Child said about the song, "I talked Aerosmith into the whole scenario of a guy that walks into a strip joint and falls in love with the stripper on stage, goes backstage and finds out it's a guy."[11] In 2019, Child confirmed that the song was about a man who "just walks into a bar and sees this gorgeous blonde up on the stage and then goes backstage after the show and then she 'whips out a gun, tries to blow me away.'"[9]
Vox's Abbey White pointed out that "the song also plays on the idea that trans women intentionally deceive men or are 'in disguise', that they are unattractive or repulsive... and at one point mixes pronouns, going from 'Oh she like it' in one line to 'Oh, he was a lady,' in the next."[8][irrelevant citation]
Child has refuted all allegations of transphobia, describing the song as "accepting" because of the lyric "never judge a book by its cover, or who you're going to love by your lover."[9][11]
On August 27, 2013, Fox News played this song while introducing Chelsea Manning. As well as the network's use of masculine pronouns and Manning's original name, playing this song received backlash by commentators.[12]
After Caitlyn Jenner called "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" her "theme song" in 2017, backlash ensued from fans and from LGBT activists due to the perceived transphobia
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