I woke up very tired on Trans Day of Remembrance in 2022. I opened my phone and saw 2 things - a headline about a shooting at a gay bar in Colorado that had targeted trans folks, and a calendar reminder that I had song circle in a few hours (which I'd forgotten about). I got up and wrote this song.

Lyrics

The news says
That I should grieve today
Like we weren’t in
The ocean yesterday

Boys don’t cry
Boys don’t cry
Boys don’t cry

Trick myself
Into feeling safe
As if there’s something
Protecting all my friends

Boys don’t cry
Boys don’t cry
Boys don’t cry

I’d like to think
I’d run right for the gun
But the truth is
I’d probably fucking freeze

Boys don’t cry
Boys don’t cry
Boys don’t cry

And everyone I care about
Is staring down that barrel
And everything we’re taught as kids
Is pulling the trigger

Boys don’t cry
Boys don’t cry
Boys don’t cry