15 Pronoun-Appropriate Gay Love Songs 

Pop music has a long history of LGBT performers who live life out and proud, but only a handful have written love songs using same-sex nouns and pronouns. For decades we've heard queer artists singing to a generic "you." But in recent years, that's been changing.

It's a powerful experience for an LGBT fan to hear a gay man singing about loving another man, a lesbian singing about her female lover, or a bisexual artist singing about loving both men and women. Even when -- or maybe especially when -- they're singing about heartbreak, LGBT singers connect intensely with fans when they're truthful with their language.

For artists, too, it's a validation. In recent months, several singer-songwriters including John Grant, Troye Sivan and Olly Alexander of the British band Years and Years, told The Advocate it's important for them to write honest love songs, and that means songs specifically about men.

Language matters. Here, we tip our hat to 15 LGBT love songs that understand that.

1. Chad King of A Great Big World, "Hold Each Other" (2015).
Something happens when I hold him / He keeps my heart from getting broken.

2. Olly Alexander of Years and Years, "Real" (2015)
I'll do what you like if you'll stay the night / you tell me you don't think you should / you do it, boy.

3. Troye Sivan, "Gasoline" (2014)
I see your outline in my bed / in the same spot I watched him rest his head.

4. Jen Foster, "She" (2001)
She means everything to me / she makes me feel nothing else matters.

5. Frank Ocean, "Forrest Gump" (2012)
Forrest Gump, you run my mind, boy / running on my mind, boy.

6. Mary Lambert, "She Keeps Me Warm" (2013)
My love, my love, my love, my love, she keeps me warm.

7. Matt Fishel, "The First Time"(2011)
And it was on that day I touched a guy for the first time.

8. Sophie B. Hawkins, "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover" (1992)
And I lay by the ocean making love to her with visions clear.

9. Kaia Wilson of Team Dresch, "She's Crushing My Mind" (1995)
Anyways, she wants to forget it / she wants to forget it.

10. Matt Alber, "Handsome Man" (2014)
Everyone smiles when my handsome man walks by.

11. John Grant, "TC and Honeybear" (2010)
For my love I won't hesitate / I will give him all that his heart can take.

12. Jill Sobule, "I Kissed a Girl" (1995)
I kissed a girl, her lips were sweet / she was just like kissing me.

13. Ani DiFranco,"She Says" (1991)
She says forget what you have to do / pretend there is nothing outside this room.

14. Kaia Wilson of the Butchies, "Send Me You" (2004)
She says I'm crazy, I say oh really / I'm gonna jump you on the bed.

15. Kaki King, "I Think She Knows" (Justin Timberlake cover) (2008)
I will walk around without a care / she's got me hooked, it just ain't fair.