NO BINARY? NO PROBLEM- A HIGHLIGHT REEL OF GENDERQUEERNESS IN SCOTTISH MUSIC
The very idea of a gender binarism stems from a systemic need to define a societies citizens into two distinct camps. In the hundreds of thousands of years humans have walked this earth, they have felt a need to suppress and contain expression into these two boxes, however that does not necessarily mean it is right. Throughout history, there have always been outliers, exceptions to the arbitrary guidelines of masculine and feminine. Even in nearly every circle, there is a record of people defying the societal norm, and instead pushing to define themselves in their own terms ( look into the Public Universal Friend, a genderless evangelist preacher from the 1700s. The Friend is scarcely recounted but remains an important example of genderqueerness in western Christianity, which nowadays can be quick to chastise those who express queerness in general). In the 2022 Scottish census, we found that the country was teaming with voices against the cisgender norm, with nearly 20,000 citizens identifying under the trans umbrella.
Picture from @dopamine.band.official on Instagram
A group making waves in the capitals punk scene is the Skinny Imps, who refer to themselves as “Edinburgh’s worst all trans punk band”. They came to be in the summer of 2024, and played several featured gigs in the likes of Banshee Labyrinth, Whistlebinkies, and Home Bar. Their regularity at local Edinburgh venues makes them a glowing fixture among artists in the city, and they show romise for the years to come.
The final band defying the gender binary the NWT would like to discuss today is one that has become massive over their 5 active years in the industry, the Glaswegian pop punk group, Uninvited. Playing festivals such as Reading and Leeds, The Great Escape, and TRNSMT, Uninvited has catapulted into the mainstream whilst maintaining a fundamentally genderqueer image, keeping them as a refreshingly individual element of Scottish and UK punk on the whole. Collaberating with the likes of Gen and The Degenrates (another non-binary led punk group from the UK) in their music videos, and pulling in a whopping 64.8k listeners on Spotify alone in 2025, the band is nothing short of a dream, proudly displaying they/she pronouns in their Instagram bio as a badge of honour. Uninvited headlined The Queens Hall in early December 2025, bringing in a crowd of unlimited energy.
The Public Universal Friend, as painted by J.L.D. Mathies in 1816
Music has always been a method of defiance against systemic oppression, a middle finger to governmental and societal structures that seek to hide genuine outlets for human expression. In Scotland, we are no different, and there is a very alive and thriving network of LGBTQ+ artists working to create regardless of labelling. Certain venues across the central belt have become hubs of community, encourgaing a blossoming community for all ages. From bars such as Banshee Labrynth in Edinburgh, to Sanctuary Queer Arts (which offers support in countless forms, such as specific community oppurtunities for queer elders), there are spaces for nearly every voice to be heard. However, if you don’t know where to look, it can be difficult to get started.
Dopamine is a fantastically well-rounded edition to Scottish Punk Rock, a trans-led band with an electric stage presence. They recently spoke out against the rise of AI being used in music, a strive for authenticity on all accounts. Their first headlining show is set to take place on the 13th of February (check out NWT’s events page for more details), and are a prime example of LGBTQ+ brilliance amongst young up-and-comers.
Picture from @officialuninvited on instagram
Clearly, there is no shortage of genderqueer brilliance in the Scottish punk scene, however, support for these artists never goes amiss. If any of these bands seem like they could be up your alley, please check out our events page, where you can find links to upcoming shows and events across Scotland.