Content warning: this post mentions suicide, domestic violence, and sexual assault. Support resources are at the end.

Still Here is track ten on Pretty, Broken Thing, and it closes the album.

What sparked it

Still Here is a song about surviving. With the way things are in politics right now for trans people, someone needed to say it. Not with anger, but with defiance.

That’s what I grew up on. I’m a Xennial, an elder Millennial, and that defiance was all over the bands I listened to back then. Many of their songs still ring true today. The context is different, but the core message is still there.

The line that matters most

“I didn’t fade, I didn’t disappear.”

I think a lot of people will attach to this line. We all know the statistics about trans people, especially those who don’t have the resources or support to transition. It’s a precarious place to be, and sometimes the worst happens. Sometimes you survive it.

Who it’s for

This is meant to be an anthem for anyone who survives that feeling. It doesn’t even have to be trans-related. Domestic violence survivors, sexual assault survivors, anyone who has been to an extremely dark place. This song is for all of them.

Which lines or moments stuck with you? Drop a comment below, and thanks for listening.

If you need support

You’re not alone. These are free, US-based lines:

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988
• Trans Lifeline (peer support run by trans people): 877-565-8860
• The Trevor Project (for LGBTQ+ people 24 and under): 1-866-488-7386, or text START to 678-678
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788
• RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673