Boygenius on the cover of GQ Magazine. Photo credits: https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/boygenius-interview-2023

British GQ released their photoshoot and article debuting the 2023 picks for Men of the Year. Three macho men made a loud appearance on the list: Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker. The three women make up the members of a popular indie/alt band, Boygenius. This magazine edition features a number of shots of the group together and individually, as well as an article and interview about the group and their thoughts on touring, queer representation, and the band’s experiences with their rise in popularity. 

All three members of Boygenius are part of the queer community, and they often use their platform for advocacy of LGBTQ+ and women’s rights. When the group took the stage in Tennessee in June of 2023, they performed in drag for the entirety of the show. While they had an undeniably great time with the performance aspects of their attire, the group made it a point to speak about the anti-LGBTQ+ legislation that had been recently passed in Tennessee at the time, and their outward stance against it. Group member Phoebe Bridgers used her individual platform in May of 2023 when news broke that the Supreme Court of the US was going to overturn Roe v Wade, heavily limiting abortion access. Bridgers took to Twitter, and very vulnerably shared to her fans that she had undergone an abortion procedure in 2021. In their interview with British GQ, the members of Boygenius each speak about the special bond that exists between them and their young, queer audience. The work that they do and legislation that they choose to speak out about makes Boygenius an incredibly popular and positive influence for members of the queer community. 

The group is widely known for their performances, specifically their closing act, in which they run around the stage and take turns kissing each other. Boygenius has shared that they do so just for fun and as a reminder to not take everything so seriously, however, Dacus shared that the band members’ motive behind this closing act goes deeper than making people laugh. Members of Boygenius have spoken about hoping to serve this generation of young people as openly, unapologetically queer role models. They want their performances and light-hearted closing acts to prove to their audience that queer joy exists, and that it exists even on the largest stages. British GQ’s feature of the band on their list for 2023’s Men of the Year provides yet another platform for these three women to continue their journeys as LGBTQ+ activists.