Photo by Ammo Bankoff
Positioned smack in the middle of Death Valley Girls’ luminous 2016 sophomore LP, Glow In The Dark, “I’m A Man Too” has grown to become a kind of anthemic thesis for the group’s positive, pro-inclusivity message that rejects pre-conceived notions of gender and identity. Riding the rhythmic one-two punch of guitar and drums in lockstep formation, Bonnie Bloomgarden leads a leather-tough girl-gang chorus in a call-and-answer declaration of solidarity that skewers toxic bro-culture on its own sword by slinging knockout truths with snarling ferocity. Switchblade stanzas slice through cords of conventionality to allow traditionally masculine virtues to drift unmoored into an egalitarian sea of gender fluidity, pushing beyond the male into a progressive re-definition of personal identity that relies not on the simple presence of a chromosome but instead on kindness, respect, and strength of character. By these measures anyone can be a “man”, taking the extra effort to back up words with action and join in with Death Valley Girls to proudly proclaim “If you’re a man, I’m twice the man as you!”
Deceptively simple, the new video for “I’m A Man Too” is an intimate, single camera affair tightly focused and framed up as a makeup tutorial. Over the brief, barely two-and-a-half-minute runtime Death Valley Girls bolster the original track’s celebration of non-conformity to societal expectations with commentary on the absurdity of gender-based beauty standards. Specifically highlighting the “misuse” of eyeliner to apply cartoonishly unruly eyebrows and the beginnings of a Groucho-style mustache to a feminine face alongside creases and seams that crisscross cheeks and chin with wild abandon call exaggerated attention to physical attributes generally considered to be undesirable on a female.
As the video progresses these markings are slowly and deliberately concealed beneath a crude smear of lipstick and a thick layer of white face paint. With each glob the transformation into the image of the embroidered clown hovering in the background becomes more complete, just another court jester pratfalling for the amusement of others at the expense of one’s own identity in a “man’s world.” In this way “I’m A Man Too” takes on another layer of significance as a protest song, a calculated statement of dissent that flips the script on society’s arbitrary definition of feminine beauty by calling out the ironic comedy of voluntarily obscuring one’s true self for external approval.
“What it means to be a man and what we expect from a woman has negatively impacted all our lives,” says Bloomgarden about the message behind “I’m A Man Too.” “How we treat each other and ourselves shouldn’t be based on society’s ideals of gender! Everyone is a unique combination of feminine and masculine energy. It’s constantly changing. Somebody outside of you telling you how to be yourself is the most ridiculous and harmful thing I can imagine. You are a beautiful combination of many different things. Get to know yourself, be the most authentic you you can be. Label yourself if you wanna, don’t if you don’t, respect yourself and who everyone else is; that’s who they are!”
Wild DIY collages combining carefully curated collections of clippings from vintage books, magazines, and ads gathered from the outermost fringes of sub-culture have served as one of Death Valley Girls’ most enduring aesthetics, adorning the covers and gatefolds of nearly every release in their catalog as a means of adding depth and meaning to the band’s music. This subliminal contextualizing carries over into the video, packing the frame with a veritable smorgasbord of easter eggs telegraphing hidden messages manifested as an eclectic swarm of colorful refrigerator magnets.
A muscled up “Bad Boy” hovers beside a magnet sporting a friendly reminder to not overeat, contrasting physical ideals of the masculine and feminine juxtaposed immediately adjacent to a confused Pokémon about to unleash a wave of psychic energy caused by the cognitive dissonance. A variety of masks speak directly to the makeup application at the core of the video, representations of the ease at which one can change their countenance to best suit their mood or situation. A rainbow heart celebrates the full spectrum of gender identities coming together to form a universal symbol of love and a reminder that all forms of intimacy and identity are valid and welcome additions to the Death Valley Girls gang.
As an album, Glow In The Dark is a celebration of personal liberation, and what better time than now for this remarkable release to make a stunning return to circulation as we all emerge from quarantine cocoons into a summer of unfettered existence, determined to live our best lives together after a year of isolated introspection.
Glow In The Dark is available on vinyl via Suicide Squeeze. Stream the album on Spotify and follow Death Valley Girls on Instagram.
