P!nk's lesbo connection

I love Pink. Love her voice, love her badass persona, love her music in my ear when I'm taking my jog. She was mesmerizing in her acrobatic performance at the Grammys. Her new song, Raise Your Glass, is particularly addictive. Even if you're too school for cool, you'll like it.

But, as much as we'd like to claim her, my girl Pink is not a lesbian. However, she does celebrate all that is queer, and she does have significant lesbian connections—including collaborating with the Indigo Girls. She sings backup on one of my fave IG songs, Rock and Roll Heaven's Gate. She and Jodie Foster both share "Alecia" and "Alicia" (respectively) as their real first names. But her most significant lesbian connection, as far as I can tell from this distant observation point, is with music producer Linda Perry.

The turning point in Pink's career was arguably 2001's M!ssundaztood, which catapulted her into mega-stardom. That record was basically the brainchild of Linda Perry. Perry produced the album, helped create its distinctive pop-rock sound, and wrote the breakout hit Get the Party Started. Who is Linda Perry? Imagine Jane (Frances McDormand) from Laurel Canyon if Jane had been a lesbian rather than just bisexual. Imagining it? That's Linda Perry. She was the lead singer of 4 Non Blondes, that 90s band. She's in a relationship with lovely Clementine Ford, from The L Word.

Pink and Perry are apparently tight. Pink has said 4 Non Blondes was an inspiration to her as a teenager. Pink tracked down Perry and approached her to help produce the M!ssundaztood album, then Pink moved into Perry's L.A. home. They lived and worked together for several months. Their bond is still strong, despite a brief falling out over Perry writing for other divas, or some such drama. But all is well. Earlier this year, Pink joined Perry on stage at "An Evening with Women," a benefit for L.A.'s Gay and Lesbian Centre. They sang a duet of Perry's classic, "What's Up?" On stage Perry said, "I love Alecia very much." And in response, Pink said, "Yes, I got a new fucking haircut, and I hate her." Which means they love each other.

Pink

I've always secretly enjoyed Pink. But not until she appeared as a guest vocalist on an Indigo Girls album (singing with Amy Ray on "Rock N' Roll Heaven's Gate") did I feel it was safe to come out and say so. So imagine how validated I felt when my Nov. 24 issue of The New Yorker arrived with a review of Pink's new album. This appeared in the back with all the pop culture fluff, mind you, but even The New Yorker's back-of-the-book content naturally has some pretty high brow stuff. For example, the Pink review was alongside reviews of Catherine Deneuve's new film and the New Orleans biennial. The article calls Pink "a female version of Aerosmith's Steven Tyler" which they meant as a comment on her appealing showmanship and lack of artistry, but think it's also apt as reference to each performer's evident aptitude for drag.