Chappell Roan Is Uniting Queers Everywhere

There's an old man going viral on Tiktok right now who has been dubbed Pink Pony PawPaw. He's going viral for two pretty simple reasons, he sang along to the song Pink Pony Club at a concert, and he's not Chappell Roans target audience. But he is representative of a connection between the queer community that is being revived with the help of Chappell Roan and the space she is building.

Anyone familiar with Chappell Roan knows her audience is primarily made up of queer women in their teens and early 20s. They, like a lot of audiences, are similar to the star they follow. But with her shooting to stardom her fanbase has expanded. Yet her fanbase remains overwhelmingly queer.

This queer fanbase is largely a result of how much she centers queer identity in her art. She clearly draws reference for drag in her costumes, her makeup, and even her phrases. She features drag queens in her music videos too, and never diminishes their presence in her art. A notable recent reference was to, the ever famous, Devine. This encapsulated not only drag culture but also queer film, as Divine was the star of many a John Waters film.

When Pink Pony PawPaw became viral a sort of forced reflection was thrust upon young queer folk. They were given the stark reminder of why there are so few old queer people. Young people often fail to grasp the severity of the AIDS epidemic, anyone who didn't exist at the time naturally would. But to see it through the people who survived, to hear their story, allows a new understanding. That's what this story does, it inspires people to listen.

This understanding has opened up a connection between the generations. Empathy has led to connection. 

We don't actually know anything about the man dubbed Pink Pony PawPaw, he could be straight, he could just be a supportive grandparent. But his presence exists as a metaphor for the bringing together of the queer community.