Lucy Dacus, known for her song “Ankles” and as a member of the indie supergroup Boygenius, has made her stance on anti-trans jokes abundantly clear in a recent interview with Vulture. The musician, who is openly queer, was asked to share what she finds particularly unfunny as part of a series of unconventional questions created by comedian Maria Bamford.
Dacus’s candid response is likely to resonate with her fans, who know her as a vocal advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. She expressed her deep discontent with a majority of the comedy acts she encounters, stating, “There’s so much comedy that’s not funny. I don’t go to comedy that often, but I would say 80 percent of the time I do, I am booing from the crowd.”
The singer criticized comedians who target marginalized groups, asserting that it is indeed possible to be humorous without resorting to jokes that demean disabled individuals, people of color, or trans individuals. She described such behavior as “lazy” and emphasized that a more thoughtful approach to humor exists. Dacus remarked, “I don’t like when people are like, ‘Oh, come on, have a good sense of humor.’ I’m like, ‘No. Have a better sense of humour. This is stupid.’”
This sentiment comes amid ongoing controversy in the comedy world, where several high-profile comedians, such as Dave Chappelle and Ricky Gervais, frequently use trans individuals as the subject of their humor. Notably, in 2021, Netflix employees staged a walkout to protest the platform’s support of Chappelle following his anti-trans jokes in the special “The Closer.”
Dacus is not alone in her advocacy; many other comedians, including Wanda Sykes and Margaret Cho, have called out their peers who choose to “punch down” in their acts.
In her personal endeavors, Dacus has also taken significant steps to support the LGBTQ+ community. This year, she officiated over 150 queer weddings during her Forever is a Feeling Tour, aiming to promote marriage equality at a time when such rights face potential threats. Reflecting on the experience, Dacus posted on Instagram, “Maybe some people got to see their first gay wedding and noticed the world did not crumble under their feet lol. But sincerely, doing these weddings has been a huge honor.”
Moreover, earlier this year, she actively contributed thousands of dollars to support trans individuals via GoFundMe in response to actions aimed at undermining trans rights in the U.S. Dacus’s commitment to activism and her powerful voice against discrimination highlight the importance of inclusion and humor that uplifts rather than oppresses.