Rudolph 1

Robert Rudolph

Professor Granillo

English 103

7 May 2019

The Bitter Reality of a Socially Constructed World

As American singer-songwriter Lady Gaga once said, “music is one of the most powerful

things the world has to offer. No matter what race or religion or nationality or sexual orientation

or gender that you are, it has the power to unite us”. Much similar to Gaga, Calum Scott writes

music that is ideally aimed at those who face similar situations in life. Calum Scott’s music leads

to some critics expecting a similar style to how most men in the modern American pop music

industry write their lyrics, which are assumed to be about a woman. However, through the lens

of queer theory, Calum Scott’s song, “No Matter What” explores his experiences of dealing with

his sexuality and the outcomes of coming out to his friends and family. Despite the social

constructionism placed on the LGBTQ+ society to “come out” as their sexual identity, Calum

Scott’s vulnerability of writing about his experiences gives listeners the chance to understand

that he has also had to face these situations; thus, making the message relatable to his audience.

Calum Scott’s “No Matter What” is aimed towards those in the LGBTQ+ community

who have experienced or are planning on coming out as their sexual identity. Coming out is a

process that many people in the LGBTQ+ community are typically hesitant to overcome. It’s a

moment of someone remaining true to themselves while finding acceptance from those they care

about most. Additionally, Scott’s lyrics presents the rhetorical appeal of pathos. Pathos, a

communication technique that appeals to the emotions of the audience to initiate a certain feeling

in the audience, is primarily focused through the lyrics of the song. The song begins with “when
 Rudolph 2

I was a young boy I was scared of growing up. I didn’t understand it but I was terrified of love.

Felt like I had to choose but it was outta my control” (Scott). Scott introduces his overall emotion

of being fearful of how he is feeling. However, listeners are left feeling hopeful by the end of the

song when Scott sings “they love me no matter what”. They, referring to his parents, have shown

Scott that they will always be compassionate and empathetic regardless of the circumstances.

While the ideal message of the song is one that many listeners crave, music critics expect male

musicians to write heteronormative music.

Modern popular music written by men has been notorious for having lyrics and messages

that are aimed in regard to toxic masculinity; another social construct surrounding the negative

personality traits that some men inherit. Additionally, this toxic masculinity is rooted from a

heteronormative lifestyle; an additional social construct that entails heterosexuality is the default

sexual orientation. Nowadays, when a song is written by a man people assume that the man holds

heteronormative characteristics that will be included in the lyrics of the song. Donnoban Orozco

Ramirez writes in his article “Music And Sexuality” that “heteronormative references in pop

music are virtually impossible to avoid, but the same cannot be said about homosexual

references in pop music” (2). Thus, it is clear that the lack of representation of un-

heteronormative characteristics impacts listener’s assumption about how males typically write

music. Additionally, Julia Walters touches on this in her article titled “The music industry has

always been fraught with male entitlement and toxic masculinity” that “an artist should be

completely separate from their art” (10). This statement implies that male’s identities shouldn’t

necessarily determine the meaning of the songs that they write. However, Walters contradicts

herself by continuing that “sometimes an artist has to go through dark progressions of life in

order to have the perspective to create something beautiful” (10). Despite this contradiction,
 Rudolph 3

music written by males will nearly always have an assumption that the musician inherits

heteronormative qualities. However, this is primarily due to the result of social constructionism.

As written by Lois Tyson in their “Critical Theory Today”, Tyson defines social

constructionism in this context by stating “LGBTQ sexuality and heterosexuality are products of

social, not biological, forces” (305). Meaning, that everything society knows about the LGBTQ+

community is assumed to be true. Additionally, “coming out” is part of the social construct of the

LGBTQ+ community. Society expects that those who do not identify as heterosexual must then

come forward with what their true sexuality is. Social constructionism is referenced in Calum

Scott’s “Not Matter What” through the whole purpose of the song: Scott faces coming out to his

loved ones. Scott portrays the idea that he must come out as homosexual by singing.

Calum Scott’s lyrics in “No Matter What” gives listeners the idea that they must conform

to the idea that “coming out” is necessary in order to be true to themselves and to their loved one.

This is portrayed through Scott’s lyrics “I needed to be saved, I was going crazy on my own -

Took me years to tell my mother, I expected the worst - I gathered all the courage in the world”.

Scott gives listeners some insight on how difficult the process is and how it has made him feel by

waiting to “come out”. This supports the idea of social constructionism by Scott giving listeners

this idea that coming out is mandatory. Society expects that those who do not identify as

heterosexual must then come forward with what their true sexuality is. However, what is the sole

purpose of coming out? In addition to Scott feeling that he needs to address his sexuality,

“coming out” also conforms to social constructionism due to the people that are witnessing

someone “come out” feel that they need to know.

“Coming out” is an action that society expects those that are part of the LGBTQ+

community to publically address their sexual identity. Though overtime, “coming out” has been
 Rudolph 4

made an expectation by society so that everyone, specifically people with homophobic morals, is

aware of their sexuality. Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick discusses this in her book Epistemology of the

Closet by initially stating that “The closet is the defining structure for gay oppression in this

century” (71). Kosofsky Sedgwick hints at the fact that the idea of coming out has always been

the start of the lasting effects of coming out of the closet. Kosofsky Sedgwick continues by

explaining the metaphor of the closet: “The image of coming out regularly interfaces the image

of the closet, and its seemingly unambivalent public siting can be counterposed as a salvational

epistemologic certainty against the very equivocal privacy afforded by the closet” (71). Thus,

“coming out” was made for the purpose for heterosexual people to be warned of who is part of

the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, the stigma that then associates with people “coming out”

is the primary reason that “coming out” was warranted as a trend by society.

In addition, Kosofsky Sedgwick continues with this idea that a heteronormative society is

responsible for the social construction of “coming out”. Kosofsky references this in her book

through an article titled “Letting the Cops Back into Michael Hardwick's Bedroom,” which states

“that closet door —never very secure as protection —is even more dangerous now. You must

come out, for your own sake and for the sake of all of us” (71). This implies that society feels

that they need to know if someone is heterosexual or not. Additionally, this also implies that the

LGBTQ+ community is required to come out which then results in consequences; specifically,

negative effects of coming out. This idea is introduced in Scott’s song through the lyrics: “I

trusted in my friends then all my world came crashing down. I wish I never said a thing 'cause to

them I’m a stranger now”. This refers to those who change their perspective towards those who

do not inherit a heterosexual identity. While the lyrics do imply the emotions of the reality of
 Rudolph 5

coming out of the closet, the pathos of the song is also displayed through the visual aspects of the

song.

While the lyrics give the true meaning of the songs interpretation, the visual part of it also

leaves an important message. In Calum Scott’s music video of “No Matter What”, the audience

begins to feel the impact of the negative effects of what coming out can do to a person, which is

primarily a result of social constructionism. After Scott sings “I wish I never said a thing ‘cause

to them I’m a stranger now” (00:01:45-00:01:50), the audience instantly witnesses an adolescent

version of Scott being bullied by people that are assumed to be his friends at one point

(00:01:52-00:02:06). The video the goes back and forth between two scenes of Scott being

bullied and then having an emotional breakdown in his room. Both scenes are depicted as a

result of Scott conforming to the idea of social constructionism that he must come out to society.

While Scott’s music video is an excellent example of the reality of contributing to social

constructionism, most media revolved around the LGBTQ+ has similar impacts to American

culture.

Media has portrayed the results of when people refuse the idea of “coming out” by

simply not doing so. Frederik Dhaenens discusses this idea in their article “Reading Gay Music

Videos” Dhaenens refers to the music video of Carly Rae Jepsen’s song “Call Me Maybe”. The

video is essentially about Jepsen being interested in a masculine boy who inherits

heteronormative characteristics and attempting to get his attention. However, by the end of the

video Jepsen and the audience discovers that he is actually gay. Dhaenens speaks on this music

video by stating that “while supporting LGBT equality by including a non-stereotypical gay

character, it also bemoans the loss of well-defined heteronormative identities and roles instead of

celebrating the "unpredictability" of sexuality” (4-5). Dhaenens argument is that Jepsen’s

 Rudolph 6

purpose is to express her interest in this man based off of his appearance and assuming he is

heterosexual. However, this still applies to the concept of social constructionism by suggesting

that people who are within the LGBTQ+ community that do not comply with typical

heteronormative qualities are not easily distinguishable. Thus, conforming to the idea that in the

American society people must “come out of the closet” so others can know for their personal

desires.

Overall, social constructionism has been an idea that a majority of the LGBTQ+

community feel they must conform to. Calum Scott contributes to social constructionism in his

song “No Matter What” by giving listeners an insight of his “coming out of the closet”

experience, which has been made as a standard to the LGBTQ+ community through social

constructionism. The reality of social constructionism is that society has created standards in

society that make it easier to pinpoint those who do not comply with the same ideas, morals, or

identities that would be considered as the “majority”. Thus, “coming out” is not an act of

celebration and acceptance. Those who have “come out” have already experienced acceptance

through themselves which results in some “coming out”. This most important part of social

constructionism that will never be advertised is that nothing is mandatory. In this case, society

does not need to know what you identify as or who you are sexually or romantically interested

in. The only people that need the acceptance need to earn it from themselves.
 Rudolph 7

Works Cited

Dhaenens, Frederik. “Reading Gay Music Videos: An Inquiry into the Representation of Sexual

Diversity in Contemporary Popular Music Videos.” Popular Music & Society, vol. 39, no.

5, Dec. 2016, pp. 532–546. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/03007766.2015.1068530.

Ramirez, Donnoban Orozco. “Music and Sexuality.” The Odyssey Online, 11 Nov. 217,

www.theodysseyonline.com/music-and-sexuality.

Sedgwick, Eve Kosofsky. Epistemology of the Closet. University of California Press, 2008.

Tyson, Lois. “Critical Theory Today.” Google Books, 2014,

books.google.com/books/about/Critical_Theory_Today.html?id=xzEkSQgSsfoC.

Walters, Julia. “The Music Industry Has Always Been Fraught with Male Entitlement and Toxic

Masculinity.” The Snapper: Millersville University, 24 Feb. 2019,

thesnapper.millersville.edu/index.php/2019/02/20/the-music-industry-has-always-been-

fraught-with-male-entitlement-and-toxic-masculinity/.