Whether you are on her side or not, it seems that Jk Rowling is a huge point of contention for people across the LGBTQ+ community for her repeated inflammatory statements on gender identity. Many have gone so far as to call her a TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist), but after she was labelled a "transphobic bigot" on the radio show The Last Word with Matt Cooper, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) have upheld a complaint that the comment was unfair. 

JK Rowling at the 'Finding The Way Home' World Premiere / Photo Credit: Sonia Moskowitz/Zuma Press/PA ImagesJK Rowling at the 'Finding The Way Home' World Premiere / Photo Credit: Sonia Moskowitz/Zuma Press/PA Images

Naturally, the anti-Rowling community have reacted with anger that she can be seen as anything other than a "transphobic bigot", since her past comments have deeply hurt a huge majority of the trans community, especially in light of her Harry Potter books being such a big part of many people's lives and identity.

And it's for those who are hurt that we've curated a positivity playlist, centered on living your truth, loving yourself and accepting who you are - even when it feels the rest of the world won't.

Songs like Madonna's Vogue and Gloria Gaynor's I Am What I Am have become staples of LGBT Pride, while the video for Christina Aguilera's Beautiful continues to be praised for its inclusion of transgender people.

In the last decade, Lady Gaga's Born This Way, Kelly Clarkson's Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You), Rachel Platten's Fight Song, Katy Perry's Roar, Taylor Swift's Shake It Off and India.Arie's I Am Light have become stand-outs for self-acceptance, while more recent anthems like Demi Lovato's Confident, Lizzo's Good As Hell and Billie Eilish's You Should See Me In A Crown have taken over for the modern optimist.

Songs like Taylor's You Need To Calm Down and the recently released Chosen Family by Rina Sawayama and Elton John were written with the LGBT community in mind, much like Wig In A Box and Raise You Up/Just Be from queer-themed musicals Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Kinky Boots respectively. In fact, the entirety of the Hedwig soundtrack is appropriate here, with it telling the story of a genderqueer musician on a journey of gender identity.

When it comes to feel-good tunes about self-acceptance, nothing does it better than a musical. This Is Me from The Greatest Showman was a favourite in 2017, not to mention Let It Go from Frozen in 2013, while theatre-goers have embraced Defying Gravity from Wicked as the ultimate song about rising above people's negative thoughts about you and achieving your dreams regardless.

At Contactmusic, we feel that nothing ignites a feeling of empowerment more than a song that speaks our heart's truth. So if our readers ever feel like the world isn't there for them, we hope this positive playlist can help.