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Sing-along Café 2025-04-10

Wednesday was the International Day of Pink, a day to wear pink to support diversity and to stand against bullying, homophobia, and transphobia. When I planned this week’s theme, I had remembered that, so we used my Songs for Equality, Diversity, Inclusion playlist. Last night, and Wednesday, I forgot, so I didn’t wear pink on pink day, and got a little confused thinking it was yesterday. But, for me, any day is good to celebrate diversity and to think about all the ways good, worthy, and beautiful people don’t conform to stereotypes, gender roles, and other societal expectations. 

Diversity is kind of my thing. Singing is #My Thing. I’m also fond of dancing, but in the same way I love singing, as a natural part of enjoying music, with friends and family. Or in a club, like the Pink Pony Club, wearing high heels (if you can, and if you feel like it)! I remembered many happy times dancing with friends at disco clubs, staying out late, wearing heels (so many years ago!). We talked about the parents’ roles in Cyndi Lauper and Chappel Roan’s songs, and talked about the feeling of the freedom to dance with abandon, to defy expectations of “good girl” behaviour that these songs inspire. Shania Twain’s women’s anthem too, gets us singing and dancing. But, of course boys can enjoy them too. I’ve experienced lots of men and boys singing heartily “Man! I feel like a woman!”. I wish boys and men could always express times when they wished they could be a woman or felt feminine without it being an issue, because it’s natural, and women are awesome. 

Gender diversity was a big topic, but so was anti-black racism. Everyday People, we felt, should be sung at church (the children and youth could do a great job and would have fun) and everywhere these days, really. It’s catchy and easy to sing with (at least the chorus is) and so clear in it’s message. We couldn’t really sing with 2Pac, but enjoyed hearing The Way It Is behind his very powerful words in Changes (some of them written with *** in place of letters, if you know what I mean). And, we just had to sing Bruce Hornsby’s beautiful song again. 

We also enjoyed trying to sing with Celine Dion again, another repeat from last week. When you do manage to sing along with Celine, it’s such a good feeling! Her embellishments are not easy to emulate. I always like when we sing a song for a second or third time. It gets easier. 

I didn’t bake for the café this week, but we had veggies and dip with our tea and coffee. I mixed mayonnaise and yogurt with an herb mix called “salad herbs” and it turned out pretty good. We had decided last week that we’d be more health conscious and try to cut out some sugar. 

We’re not meeting next week because it’s Maundy Thursday. The following week, on Thursday, April 24th, we’re going to use my Canadian Artists playlist, ahead of our Federal Election.

These are some of the songs we sang and listened to:

  • Born this Way by Lady Gaga
  • Beloved by Jordan Feliz
  • Man! I Feel Like a Woman by Shania Twain
  • Respect by Aretha Franklin
  • Men Explain Things to Me by Tacocat
  • I’ll Make a Man out of You by Donny Osmond (from Mulan)
  • A Girl Worth Fighting For by Lea Salonga, Harvey Fierstein, et al (from Mulan)
  • Summer Nights by John Travolta and Olivia Newton John 
  • A New Day has Come by Celine Dion
  • Everyday People by Sly & The Family Stone
  • Changes by 2Pac
  • The Way It Is by Bruce Hornsby & The Range
  • Pink Pony Club by Chappell Roan
  • Girls Just Want to Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper
  • Jolene by Dolly Parton



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