Scratching the Surface
How Honey Dijon's music became a source of strength and inspiration in my own life. 🎶💖✨
Confession, I’m not perfect
Damn, I wish I was. Sometimes, even with the best intentions, things don’t turn out how I expect them. I'm embracing the messy beauty of life, owning my choices, and learning from setbacks.
Curating music has been my guide, revealing my own resilience. Every beat brings me closer to the person I'm meant to be.
Need to Belong
You ever feel like you have to pretend to be someone you're not? That's how it was for me growing up, trying to fit in with what everyone else thought was right.
It’s a complex web of factors:
societal, religious, and familial pressures surrounding my sexuality;
the fear and uncertainty of the AIDS epidemic;
the challenges of adolescence and self-discovery;
the weight of expectations from loved ones;
and the anxieties of financial stability and social acceptance (which I associated with the acceptance or lack of acceptance of my sexuality from others).
My Saving Grace
I found solace and inspiration in the vibrant pulse of music curation and house music. The inclusive nature of the dance floor, where differences melted away under the unifying rhythm, offered a sense of belonging that the outside world often denied. I’ve been able to create my own system of resilience and self-acceptance through my relationship with music and the inspiring artists like Honey Dijon.
DJ Spotlight: Honey Dijon
It was in this space, in March 2018 at Seattle's Kremwerk, that I first encountered Honey Dijon. As a "baby gay" still new to queer music spaces, I didn't fully grasp the significance of the moment. Now, looking back, I recognize the profound impact of witnessing this Chicago-born DJ, producer, and electronic musician command the decks in such an intimate space. Honey Dijon, a transgender woman of color who has overcome adversity and discrimination to become a leading figure in the global house music scene, embodies the very essence of resilience and self-acceptance.
The Sound of the Stonewall Uprising | Honey Dijon Curates the Stonewall Jukebox | Amazon Music
In this award winning short-form documentary by executive producer and friend, John Farrey, Honey Dijon shares a powerful message through music curation for the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center. It’s a story of what “resilience, liberation, and freedom sounds like”.
The Sound of the Stonewall Uprising | Highlights
History: Heard it Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye
“Marsha P Johnson who recalls it was “Marvin Gaye’s Heard it Through the Grapevine” playing on the jukebox when the police came in…. tells you about the power of music, right then and there.” - Honey Dijon
Joy: Tutti Frutti by Little Richard
“For queer people, club spaces are safe spaces for freedom of expression without judgement and oppression.” - Honey Dijon
Love: Chances Are by Johny Mathis
“How do you love when the world tells you you’re not lovable? How do you love when you tell your humanity isn’t real? How do you love unapologetically?” - Honey Dijon
Next: Sam Cooke by A Change is Gonna Come
“This idea that the work is done is an illusion. That we’re all free is an illusion. It is not reality. We have to fight everyday for our humanity. The Stonewall uprising is a template and we can still learn a lot from that.” - Honey Dijon
ICYMI: A Honey Dijon Set that Inspires
“Revel in the magic of the best. Honey Dijon stopping time with her Sugar Mountain set in Melbourne” in 2018.
Spill the Tea: Your Fave DJ Sets (Kitty Music Wants to Know!) 🎧 🐅 🧡
I'm curious, what are some DJ sets that have really inspired YOU on your journey? Drop a comment below with links to your favorite sets – let's share the music that lifts us up! ✨🎧🎶