Songs of Joy and Resistance

An event I hosted on Pillowfort for Queer Pride Month (June 2026) that got extended to July 2026 and include Disability Pride Month. Thus the flag in the banner below.

Description: Looking for a low-effort way to celebrate Pride Month? Share a song/playlist that says, "I'm here and I exist!"

Feel free to mix this challenge with anything else going on or interpret it however you want. Your song/playlist of choice can be for yourself, a fictional or real character, or anyone else!

The goal is to make some noise with humanity's the most powerful language, music!

Entry #1

My song of Joy and Resistance is Emptiness and Catharsis by Togenashi Togeari from the anime Girls Band Cry. I chose this song based on one of my OCs, Sumire Yuu.

She's a young lesbian who recently became disabled. She enjoys going to karaoke to sing Japanese rock music to vent her frustrations. This song in particular reflects her struggles coping with her new reality and the desire of a better life in the face of her family's prejudice.

Entry #2

Fuyu no Hanashi (A Winter Story)

This song is from BL anime Given. It's part of the playlist for my OC, Ryuugamine Kiyoshi. The song is about mourning the loss of a loved one and the conflicting feelings that come from the lack of resolution of that relationship. Definitely a tear-jerker. Keep a napkin on if listening.

Kiyoshi is an OC that has several alternate versions. One of his unifying traits is that he's always somehow involved in human sexuality. The version that this song alludes is perhaps the one where such involvement corrupts his development. Because despite his every iteration having so much love to give and extend kindness to people who have hurt him, in this one, he learns that love is transactional and something that he has to take for himself.

The songs relates to his conflicting feelings of fondness after he realizes he was being manipulated by that person. Despite his feelings of betrayal and hurt, he can't let go of the positive moments or the kindness he was shown. As a survivor of a toxic relationship, his feelings about the past are ever changing.

Nevertheless, despite his involvement with this terrible person, with support of the people he loves his innate tendencies win out and he leans towards his caring and giving traits. Can you tell I love my boy a whole lot? 😭

Entry #3

Ito Kashitaro - One Step Ahead

This one is more positive. It's an uplifting song about taking responsibility about the way your life and be true to yourself.

This songs is related to another OC, Kirishima Keima. He's an ally to everyone to the insecure and lonely. Somehow, he always ends up being attracted to (platonically) people from marginal groups and does his best to support them. Ironically, he belongs to a group so marginal that he doesn't seek support for himself. He realized he was ace thanks to one of his best friends but with the way the society he lives is set up, there is so little knowledge about it that he ends up choosing to not being vocal about it. So the songs ends up being about he talking to others but also to himself about being true to themselves.