Tom Gabel — lead singer of the punk rock band “Against Me!” — has publicly come out of the closet as a transgender woman.
In the new issue of Rolling Stone Magazine, Gabel, who says he SHE has privately dealt with gender issues for years, reveals that she will soon begin the process of transitioning into a woman by taking hormones, undergoing electrolysis treatments, and changing her legal name to Laura Jane Grace.
Interestingly, the punk rocker says that she will remain married to his HER wife Heather, who according to Gabel has been nothing but supportive.
“For me, the most terrifying thing about this was how [Heather] would accept the news,” Gabel tells the magazine. “But she’s been super-amazing and understanding.”
Rolling Stone notes that this is the first time a major rock star has come out as transgender, which is why Gabel chose to speak openly about it.
“I’m going to have embarrassing moments,” says Gabel, “and that won’t be fun. But that’s part of what talking to you is about – is hoping people will understand, and hoping they’ll be fairly kind.”
The full story of Gabel’s transformation — where the singer talks about her history of gender dysphoria, the specifics of the process of transitioning into a woman, and what becoming “Laura Jane Grace” will mean for the future of Against Me! — will be detailed in Rolling Stone Magazine’s June 2012 issue, due to hit newsstands this Friday.
[RS]
