Both Arcade Fire and Against Me! have released statements furthering the comments made by Against Me! frontwoman, Laura Jane Grace, regarding Arcade Fire's 'We Exist' music video. In response to Laura Jane Grace's claims that the casting of Andew Garfield as a transgender teenager was a bad choice, Arcade Fire had this to say in an interview with The Advocate:
“Once something gets on the Internet, it works its way into people’s lives in a way that I think is pretty powerful. For a gay kid in Jamaica to see the actor who played Spider-Man in that role is pretty damn powerful, in my opinion. … There was just so much thought and love that went into the video I don’t personally see it as negative."
In response to this, Grace replied on Twitter, saying:
"Win says "he" and Wilson says "she" ... the implication that a homeless Jamaican LGBT youth living in a sewer is going to feel empowered because a cis, straight white male actor in movies they can't afford to see stars in a music video they'll never watch? my main problem with the video isn't even casting it's stereotyping -- like why does Garfield cry about shaving their head to then put on a wig when they have gorgeous hair? why does Garfield go to the shittiest bar ever to drink domestic beer and dance with bigot rednecks? and the idea that the band playing Coachella is their Mecca of acceptance and validation. Phfff. As if. if the song was called anything else I wouldn't have even had a problem with it. it's called "We Exist" and there is literally no signs of that existence represented. should have been called "They Exist". lastly, I really genuinely am a fan of the band. The Suburbs is a perfect album."
Everything You Need To Know About Supanova 2026: Sydney & Perth
