Lyrics from “I’m Not a Loser” by The Descendents
Though these are lyrics to a song, I chose them as a visual element due to their poignant resonance when taken out of context on a lyrics sheet. The lyrics to “I’m Not a Loser” exemplify the heteronormative, queerphobic, cis narrative of early US hardcore punk, pairing aggressive, outward lyrics with simplistic and fast instrumentation to get the words across as feelings more than poetry. This is a good example of sexual panic, though, because of how the words (both in the music and out) represent genuine fear on the part of a straight, cis, man of queer people who pose no threat other than having sexual lifestyles that deviate from the supposed norm. To impressionable high school-aged kids (the age at which I began enjoying this music before noticing the very queerphobic tendencies), these words fly by in a song but have power to queer listeners when presented on paper.
On another note, words like “gay” and “homos” being used to discuss strictly sexual feelings erases homoromanticism and subsequently asexual tendencies from the narrative. This is seen through the usage of “your pants are too tight” and “Mr. Buttfuck”, limiting queerness to supposed stereotypes and sexual roles that are harmful in this context due to their supposed threat to the narrator.
REFERENCE
The Descendents. “I’m Not a Loser.” 1982. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiltQYlNot0