As a queer artist myself, this single has filled me with so much joy and has made me feel so seen that it hasn’t left my headphones since hearing it the first time. Being anything but a straight, white, cis man in the United States has always been dangerous, anyone who isn’t knows this fact. But lately, living in 2025, it’s taken on a newer and more terrifying face.
This recent release by Pillowprince called, R The Straights Ok, is a catchy, clever, and integral piece of queer art. With lyrics like, “Wouldn’t you wanna be like me?” and “Honestly you should give up your silly art thing and get a real job”, I’m pummeled in the chest with how common those things are said to queer folks in conversations with straight people who have already decided long ago they would sell their soul to better fit in with the masses that deem people “acceptable” or expendable.
It continues with “Why don’t you fix your hair like me? / You could clean up really nice / Baby you could be a smoke show, all you need is a little makeup, a dress in the summer / To find a breadwinner like the rest of us…” it states the clear agenda and thought process of those afraid of authentic people who express their individuality. These authentic people by the way, don’t care AT ALL what others (especially straight people) think of them, but straight people constantly urge those who are different to join the pack and just change “this” or “that” so you can have an “easier” time in the world. They truly think that everyone wants what they have.
Further, this writer thinks these types of straight people so desperately try to strip others of their individuality because it will justify the fact that they did the same thing to themselves, and maybe it gives them some fleeting comfort that they made the “right” decision in doing so.
The generational influences of this toxic thought process towards queer people or any authentic soul are amplified in this next bunch of lyrics, “Then our babies can be friends and go to the same school / Like we went to the same school when we were 17 / Growing up is easy when you’re rich and white like me…”. These ideas of conformity are TAUGHT and it takes many instances of resistance towards that to make big shifts in culture, though white supremacy has its hands in most of the pies for hundreds of years.
The song ends with these funny, sad, and ironic lyrics, “Then we can cheat on our husbands with each other sometimes / Can you keep a little secret between just you and I?” After all of the conformity and stripping of their individuality, its revealed that they’re in fact NOT happy with the life they tried so hard to achieve, hooking up with someone on the side and showcasing their place on the Kinsey scale.
This single has it all: relatable and jabbing lyrics, fun melodies, catchy hooks, and above all…TRUTH! Thank you Pillowprince for creating this gorgeous piece of art that reflects a lot of queer peoples experiences living in this heteronormative world, and I can’t wait to see what you put out next.
Written by Newt Fangs
