GAYLETTER

Our friends across the pond are responsible for a huge number of exceptional girl groups. From classics like Spice Girls and Bananarama to more modern beauts like Mutya Keisha Siobhan and Girls Aloud, the UK always have their girl group game on lock, a fact that makes it all the better to see a trio like T-Party enter the ring. Created in 2005 in London as a club night to celebrate the trans community, T-Party has since evolved into a girl group comprised entirely of trans women, including Farrah Mills, Toni Wood, and Viktor Viktoria. The group has just released the video for their lead single, ‘Ladyboy Lover,’ a song that serves up an infectious, club-ready beat to go along with its gleeful subversion of mainstream girl groups and pop music.

In the song, T-Party challenge the expression “ladyboy,” a derogatory term often used as a sexual reference to transsexuals. The chorus of the song, “I won’t live life undercover,” makes room for a double meaning as expressed by the gals: “I won’t hide from society, and I refuse to exist only ‘in bed’ and ‘under the covers.’” It’s an admirable lyrical choice, and one that takes on full form in the clip, which shows the girls working together to dupe a guy trying to seduce them all at once.

With pioneers like Janet Mock and Laverne Cox leading the way for trans activism and positivity in the States, it’s promising to see a UK act like T-Party putting their own timely spin on it. Throw in a full-length LP scheduled for later in the year and a live tour to follow, and there’s no doubt that the future is looking bright for these ladies.

Watch the video for ‘Ladyboy Lover’ below, and download the song for free on the group’s Soundcloud.